Technology and Law Enforcement

Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 1 Technology and Law Enforcement Final Project CJ499-01 Kathryn D. Perez May 19, 2008 Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 2 Technology in the twenty-first century has been used for useful ventures into advances in medicine and finance. With the advanced processors and the multiple software applications available the computer world has become an invaluable asset. However, with the good comes the bad, and there is no difference in technology. There are some very wise people, many of them very young, who would use technology for their own ill-advised ends, many of which are very dangerous. The harm that can become includes innocent curiosity of children who have learned how to hack into computer systems, which was profiled in the movie War Games (Lasker, L. & Parkes, W.F. 1983). There have been other movies through the late 20th century and into current day that profile many of the crimes that involve computers. I cannot help but believe that many of these crimes were given credence by the movies glamorizing the criminals as intelligent and misunderstood youth, or international, mysterious, millionaires. Other crimes involving computer which will be addressed in this paper are identity theft, internet sexual predators, corporate crimes, and scam requests for donation indiscriminately sent to email addresses. Conspiracy theorists came up with the worst possible scenarios. Hollywood took a stronghold on those ideas and glamorized them. The 1980’s, however, were not the beginning of hacking. MIT is reported to be the originators of hacking. With the “worlds leading artificial intelligence” being developed in 1961 at MIT, a club within the group called the Tech Model Railroad Club (Tishman, n.d.). The United States government identified hacking as a crime in the late 1980’s. The Computer Fraud Abuse Act gave power to federal officers but even with power to arrest there was no winning over the numbers of hackers coming to light (Tishman, n.d.). The federal government utilized the talents of the Carnegie Mellon University. The U.S. Defense department attempted to use the most technologically advanced methods to try to stop these processes (Tishman, n.d.). Even with the help of this esteemed university, criminals were Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 3 still able to hack into The First National Bank of Chicago to the amount of $70 million (Tishman, n.d.). By the 1990’s hacking into computer systems became easier with the introduction of the World Wide Web. The hackers of the 1970’s and 1980’s became main-stream by developing their own web sites instructing others how to continue with the art (Tishman, n.d.). The first person arrested by the FBI for computer hacking is Kevin Mitnick (Tishman, n.d.). He began by hacking into telephone systems, but soon escalated to more dangerous hacking. He was caught a few times in university computer systems hacking into the U.S. government ARPAnet computer systems (Merriwether, 1995). It seemed with Mr. Mitnick that there were no real laws to control his actions. Many times he was punished with what could be equated as a small slap on the wrist for his infractions, which just reinforced his belief that he was invincible (Merriwether, 1995). Combating computer hacking is a science in itself. Coined Computer Forensics, there are rules that have been developed to guide investigators toward the proper methods by which they can detect and stop computer hacking and bring those criminals to justice. The rules include beginning by considering any infraction as a crime until told otherwise by the District Attorney’s office (Davis, Philipp, & Cowen, 2005, pp. 9-11). In addition to the original considering of all potential hackings as criminal, the investigator needs to ensure that their actions are totally unbiased. The computer forensics investigators must be qualified beyond that of the hackers they are working against. If they do not have skills above even experienced computer administrators they will not only be ineffective during a trial, as with a personal bias, but could also become the butt of jokes within their own investigative organization (Davis, et al, 2005). It is important that the investigator keep his or her evidence empirical. Just like with any trial, hearsay is not evidence (Davis, et al, 2005). Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 4 Another form of computer crime that occurs quite often is identity theft. This occurs many times outside of technology, but with the influx of “Visa” check cards, and purchasing online, the crime has become easier for the more intellectual criminal to commit. The Federal Trade Commission reports that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the new millennium (Cobb & Cobb, 2003). The statistics show that an average of $6,000.00 is lost by each victim of identity theft. In addition to that statistic, the costs of enforcement and court costs associated with the crime are immense. It costs between $10,000 and $15,000 to investigate identity theft and approximately $11,000 to prosecute a single crime. Identity theft is expensive and relatively easy for an unscrupulous person with access to sensitive data to commit (Cobb & Cobb, 2003). Laptops with sensitive information have been stolen from FBI and Veterans’ Administration employees, providing valuable social security numbers and other identity markers to the thieves. I have received a letter from the Veterans’ Administration because my personal information was included in the computer that had been stolen. Although I was assured that the data was encrypted, that does not give me a complete sense of well-being, as I am a computer analyst and am very aware that encryptions can be cracked. So far, however, my identity has been safe I have no mysterious entries in my credit report or to my accounts. To combat internet based identity theft the individual has to be cognizant of what companies are secure when sharing personal information online. Phishing is a new term that is used to describe the act of obtaining personal information from innocent people through illicit means, or even what may appear to be an innocent questionnaire. Consumers can identify secure sites by a simple glance into the lower right corner of any web page to see a small yellow padlock indicating a secure site. There are also third-party web sites that help to improve personal security. Sites like Paypal exist to provide a secure method of purchasing online, by encrypting the information several levels deep, they keep the buyer’s identity and personal information private and secure. Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 5 When the police get involved in identity theft it gets to be a distressing situation for the victim. Their credit is many times ruined because of the theft. Identity theft is combated first by education. The Florida Computer Crime Center has provided an internet site that gives a list of useful tips to help people keep their own identity safe. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement does advise, as well as tips, that anyone who believes they are a victim of identity theft report their suspicions and concerns to their local police department (FCCC, 1999). Many times the best way to fight crimes of this nature is to educate the public. When identity theft is reported then police departments must follow a paper trail and an internet trail until they can find the originator of the theft. This has become increasingly more difficult because of wireless technology. When a person does not secure their home wireless networks then anyone can drive past their home and link using a laptop to the wireless network, making their Internet Protocol Address and their identity nearly impossible to trace. Internet protocol addresses, or IP addresses, are the identifying marker that enables a computer to access the internet. When all internet service providers were connecting to computers using cables it was easier to trace the origin, but as I explained earlier, with wireless technology the job of the police department has become difficult again (Davis, et al, 2005). Computer forensics teams are called in to investigate these crimes as well. They must use trace route utilities and other methods involving computers to try to narrow down the search and find the culprits to the theft (Davis, et al, 2005). Sometimes the police get lucky because those who are stealing the identities are not as bright as they believe they are, and they get caught purchasing something online that can be traced back to an address shipped, or they are caught actually using illegal ID cards and credit cards to purchase goods in a public shop. Diligence is needed by the police and by the public to help reduce the amount of identity theft that exists. Internet sexual predators are very dangerous. They use web sites that are geared toward Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 6 children and teenagers and find vulnerable ones to coerce into telling them enough personal information that they can stalk and attack them. Many are so convincing that they are able to talk the children into meeting with them somewhere, even going as far as purchasing them plane tickets to meet with them in different cities. When this occurs then the Federal Bureau of Investigation gets involved. Kidnapping a person and moving them over state lines is a federal offense. In effect, when a child predator purchases that plane ticket for the child and they fly over borders, they have been kidnapped, even though they are not being forced physically to go. Along with internet predators comes child pornography and cyberstalking (FCCC, 1999). There are pedophiles across the United States and the entire world that enjoy sharing their exploitation of children over internet sites, some appearing to be legitimate. Shaquille O’Neal, the Center for the Phoenix Suns was involved with the Miami police department as an officer against child predators. He would pretend to be a teenaged girl online and would look for the criminal to begin to ask to meet. He would then get with the police department and they would go to the meeting place and arrest the predator (The Sports Diva, 2008). This same tactic is used across the country to help to combat these very dangerous crimes against children. A criminal like this will invariably make a mistake. A child may escape from the clutches of the predator, someone may see the criminal stalking an area where children congregate, or computer forensics teams can catch a break on internet sites or chat sites, like MySpace, or Facebook, that allow them to narrow in on the robber of children’s innocence. Educating children is another way to fight this crime. Enron is a grand example of crime involving technology being used to hide illegal operations, incomplete financial records, and other criminal acts involving a corporation. In the case of Enron those at the top were misrepresenting information which caused the black-outs in Southern California during a very hot summer. The investigations that ensued because an upper Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 7 level manager reported what she knew to the authorities escalated to such a degree that thousands lost their jobs, their retirement, their livelihoods, and their confidence in corporate America. When Enron began its downward spiral those companies who were closely affiliated with them, like Arthur Anderson, began to panic, and committed crimes trying to hide their involvement in the illegal processes. Arthur Anderson was found guilty of destroying evidence by night-time shredding of documents involving Enron (Kadlec, 2002). Because of the indiscretions of Enron executives, the U.S. government created a set of standards for financial reporting called Sarbanes Oxley (SEC, 2002). With these new checks and balances new jobs have been generated. Auditors can now indiscriminately visit and audit corporations who are publicly traded to ensure honest and fair trading and reporting practices. The audit process can include those in the accounts payable and accounts receivable departments, the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and even the members of the Information Technology department because each of these departments are directly responsible for some part of the reporting process, whether it is direct, as in AP and AR departments, or in data storage, which is the responsibility of IT (SEC, 2002). The last technology related crime I will address is scams. These can be from the Nigerian king scams requesting banking information from unwitting victims who are just trying to be helpful to much worse (FCCC, 1999). With the promise of millions to help the Prince of a Nigerian kingdom, or notification of beneficiary of a will, or other convincing stories, the poorly written messages arrive in emails. The scams mostly originate outside of the United States, which makes it increasingly difficult for the officials in the States to enforce. With cooperation among the law enforcement agencies across the globe this kind of scam is being halted, or at the very least is being exposed. Within some of these scams come computer viruses so the victim can be harmed in more ways than one (FCCC, 1999). Like identity theft, one of the best Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 8 methods of enforcement is education. Local news reports will identify these scams in the hopes that more people will help get the word out that these are scams. Honestly it is difficult for a thinking person to get involved in this kind of scam if they are in their right mind because the writing is supposedly many times from an attorney however the grammar and English is very poor. The spelling is horrendous, and how would they just conveniently have the email address of a person in the United States? If those who pay attention to this can just make these things clear to others who are too nice or too generous to consider that someone else may be trying to take advantage of them then they are more likely to not fall into the trap. A twist I personally received two weeks ago involved the FBI. The writer was trying to pass themselves off as the FBI trying to locate me to help me to obtain the money that was promised me by some prince in another country. They were not informative, did not identify the name of the person who was writing, nor the name of the person who was trying to send the money. The most deplorable scam I have received was addressed as though an Army soldier who was in need of help. They claimed that the writer was a soldier who was back from Iraq, and had found himself in need of, for lack of a better word, laundering some extra funds that he had received from his deployment in Iraq. This to me is the worst; to feed off the sentiments of this great country, and their servicemen, to scam innocents out of their money. The United States Secret Service is involved in the attempt to combat this kind of scam and local and state law enforcement agencies will communicate their findings to the US Secret Service to be investigated (FCCC, 1999). Law enforcement agencies not only combat crimes using computer technology. There is advanced studies using anthropology, DNA testing, evidence gathering, chemicals and procedures that have been developed, which can enable police officers a better method of employing their skills in the endeavor to keep crime from happening. Most metropolitan areas Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 9 are equipped with cellular phone technology, and laptop computers in the cruisers. These communication devices can more quickly enable an officer to apprehend a criminal by having quicker information, right at their fingertips. With computer technology, and better advancements in other sciences, police officers have a better way of getting the bad guy off the street. Technology and Law Enforcement pg. 10 References: Cobb, S. & Cobb, C. (2003). Computers make identity theft easier, Newsscan Computer Security Column. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.cheycobb.com/computer_id_theft.html. Davis, C. Philipp, A. & Cowen, D. (2005). Hacking exposed secrets & solutions, Computer Forensics, New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. Florida Computer Crime Center, The, (1999). Identity theft, Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/FC3/idtheft.html. Kadlec, D. (2002). Enron, Who’s accountable? Time, Jan 13, 2002. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,193520,00.html. Lasker, L. & Parkes, W. F. (1983). War Games, the movie, IMDB.Com, retrieved on May 18, 2008 from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086567/. Merriwether, D. (1995). Kevin Mitnick, An excerpt from Takedown. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.takedown.com/bio/mitnick.html. The Sports Diva, (2008). Shaq to predators: step away from the net, TSD Magazine, (May 9, 2008). Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.epiccarnival.com/2008/05/shaq-topredators-step-away-from-net.html. Tishman, V. A. (n.d.). A brief history of computer hacking. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vatishma/webproj/webproj.html. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (2005). Spotlight on Sarbanes-Oxley rulemaking and reports. Retrieved on May 19, 2008 from http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/sarbanesoxley.htm.