Disgruntled employees who alter, damage, steal files, or engage in embezzlement contribute significantly to companies' financial losses. Criminal activities involving computer systems also encompass unlawful access to government records, including manipulation of criminal history and want and warrant information, creation of fraudulent identification documents like driver's licenses and passports, alteration of tax records, and unauthorized access to intelligence files (Carter, D. N. D.). Some individuals referred to as vandals or hackers carry out these acts for the thrill or to test possibilities (Carter, D. N. D.). These crimes impose a cost on everyone as we must address the resulting damages and enhance protective measures. The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stool provides a prime example of a computer-targeted crime where a hacker from Hanover infiltrated American computers belonging to universities, the military, and government contrac
...tors with the goal of obtaining and selling national security information (Carter,D.N.D.). While some criminals directly target computer systems , others utilize their computers to target individuals like you.
The theft of money and private information is a major concern in our modern society, especially with the rise of high-tech advancements. One common form of fraud is the Nigerian bank scheme, where individuals are deceived into providing their bank information and social security numbers in exchange for promised millions of dollars (Taylor, R. W. 2010). Alongside this, there has been an emergence of modern harassment methods such as cyber stalking, social network harassment, email harassment, and cyber bullying. The use of computers in criminal activities allows for faster and easier execution of crimes like money laundering, banking transactions, organized crime records manipulation, drug deals, and child pornography. In a documented case example
a suspect manipulated a hospital computer to change a patient's medication details which resulted in murder (Carter, D.N.D.). The prevalence of computers has contributed to an increase in crime rates due to technological advancements. Piracy is also prevalent; illegal downloading of software,music books games,and movies causes significant financial loss for industries. With today's technology it has become easier than ever to access various torrent sites online that provide convenient downloads for desired games,s oftware or books.However, the use of computers for criminal activity presents a significant danger as it exposes sensitive information. If intercepted with malicious intent, our military would be vulnerable to other countries. Furthermore, targeting our nuclear plants, water systems, and telecommunication systems through computers could cause severe damage to our infrastructure and make our country susceptible to terrorism. To strengthen our security against computer crimes, it is crucial for the agencies in our county to collaborate and share information.
Upon researching the FBI website, I discovered several strategies they employ to combat cyber crimes. For example, they have established a dedicated division that focuses on addressing cyber crime and have deployed trained cyber squads in all their field offices. Additionally, they have formed cyber action teams that can quickly assist in global computer intrusion cases. Gathering important intelligence is a top priority for the FBI as it helps identify the cyber crimes that pose the highest threat to our national security and economy.
Nationwide, there are 93 task forces dedicated to combating computer crimes while providing assistance to state, local, and federal agencies. The FBI also partners with entities like the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security in joint efforts to fight
computer crimes.To effectively combat computer-related crimes such as fraud, theft, harassment, and stalking, our court system should impose stricter penalties and eliminate plea bargaining. Additionally, the local police should establish a dedicated task force that prioritizes these crimes alongside other criminal activities.
