The Evolution of Digital Crime - Case Study Example

Lecturer: Digital crime evolution and the detections Introduction The internet is not only dominating personal information search but also commercial activities, business transactions and government services [1]. Very unfortunately, the use of the internet has now been seen as a social privilege rather than a social responsibility. Because of this, several people are now rushing to be part of the experience that this open network presents rather than learning about how to use it responsibly [2]. The outcome of this is that before several users are aware, they have been swindled by others who have made the act of digital crime, including cyber crime their unauthorised business. There have also been lamentations about how well organised and well learned organisations and individuals have not been able to rise above the activities of digital crime activities, including a very recent case of the Sony Pictures digital crime. This paper therefore seeks to critically analyse how digital crime has evolved over the years, as well as professional and ethical measures put in place to fast-track the detection of such digital crimes. Evolution of digital crime and the Impact of technological revolution on this evolution At the 35th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) symposium on security and privacy, the International Workshop on Cyber Crime (IWCC) appreciated the fact that there continues to be increasing rates of digital crimes which have largely evolved as a result of the strong reliance, usage and dependence on open networks such as the internet [1]. In effect, the advent of the internet and its fast growing followership over the years is a major starting point with the issue of digital crime. The ease with which digital crime has penetrated modern society on the wings of the internet has been attributed to several factors, including the fact that the internet is an open network, which exposes users to unseen cyber and information security threats [3]. Because of the hidden nature of the threats, there are hardly any interventions that are put in place to salvaging them. Over the years, digital crime has recorded several significant and landmark cases which make it possible to trace how the evolution of the process has all come about. As far as the evolution of digital crime is concerned, there are available information from the Computer Forensics, Cybercrime and Steganography Resources which show that most forms of digital crimes only started as simple e-mail type crimes [4]. Such e-mail crimes often involved the sending of spam messages, which were used to take undue advantage of advertising to computer users or getting them to give their attention to a product or service. With time, there was graduation on such forms of simple e-mail crimes as users became more enlightened about them. With time, hacking of all forms including computer, software and internet site hacking became a major issue, which recorded several landmark cases including Vldimir Levin who hacked Citibank in 1995 when $3.7 million was transferred illegally, and Albert Gonzalez who was convicted for stealing more than 90 million credit and debit card numbers from TJX between 2005 and 2007 [2]. As institutions, internet service providers and general users became enlightened about ways to protecting themselves against hacking, the trend to digital crime became more focused on phishing and vishing, when the emphasis for digital criminal activities became for the need to getting access to personal information. Through phishing and vishing, most forms of personal information including credit card details, usernames and passwords are laid hands on by criminals who pose as reliable entities in electronic communication [5]. Today, the Computer Crime Research Centre lament that technological revolution has had a toning impact on digital crime, making the concept evolve faster and in a more complicated form than it used to be [6]. Indeed, there is now what can be referred to as global hi-tech crime which takes place digitally [5]. It is not surprising today that different forms of digital crimes which are very difficult to even realise that they are taking place such as source code theft, cyber staking, internet time theft, web jacking, and cross-site scripting have been on the ascendency [2]. One major basis on which digital crime has successfully evolved in intensity and magnitude is the fact that through the technological revolution, cyber criminals now have access to sophisticated tools which make them act in relative obscurity. Meanwhile when there is such obscurity, detection becomes even more difficult [4]. Global trends in digital crime Information from the Uniting Forensic Computing Practitioners has given indications as to which countries are the topmost when it comes to digital crimes in general and cyber crimes to be specific. One such line of global trend from the Uniting Forensic Computing Practitioners recorded that the US continues to be the country where most forms of viruses, spam and malware are produced [7]. The same country leads in the number of illicit and scam IT jobs. As of the end of 2005, China was rated the highest for all these forms of digital crimes, especially in terms of malware production [7]. Another important global trend that has been linked with digital crimes is the growing pace for mobile computing, which has been found to have a positive correlation with cybercrime. The reason this is said is that by the end of 2012, there were 671 million worldwide smartphone shipment, which was an increase of 41% over what was recorded in 20111 [3]. At the same time, the recorded rate of digital crime, especially those executed through smartphones also increased in the range of 30 to 40% globally [3]. Current efforts made towards detection Expansion in technological infrastructure and the technology revolutions have not only come to benefit those on the darker side of IT and engaging in digital crime. This is because the technology revolution has become the same platform through which advances have been made with digital crime detection. For example today, there is the means by which security agencies in various countries can team up to undertake investigation of digital crime facts that span across multiple international borders [1]. Because of such international investigative platforms, it has become very difficult for a person suspected or convicted of a cyber crime to run away from their original places of abode and think that they will feel safe elsewhere. Coupled with the cross-border investigations which have been created, the use of digital forensics as a medium of combating digital crimes has also been on the increase. Meanwhile, through such digital forensics, it is very difficult that scammer engaged in digital crimes can leave any marks that will not be noticed as part of their schemes and brought to justice [7]. In several countries, especially those countries where incidence of digital crime are high such as the US, China and India, a lot of resources are being committed to the training of forensics professional. This is a move that has been seen as a step in the right direction as far as the detection of crimes is concerned. This is because the forms of training given to the forensics professionals are always aimed at putting them a step ahead of the criminals [3]. This way, digital crimes are not only detected after they have occurred but even detected before they are executed or completed so that there can be prevention for them. Advancements in forensics, tools and techniques aimed at helping professionals to keep pace with new technologies which are often used by the criminals can therefore be seen as the major approach used in promoting the detection of digital crimes across the globe. Challenges and hindrances to detections Even though there have been several efforts put in place to ensure that digital crimes are easily detected through forensics, there are very petty issues that act as setback to the success of the detection efforts. One such situation is that a good number of people who suffer digital crimes experience these at a very personal and individual level. Meanwhile, organised institutions and agencies responsible for the detection of digital crimes have been criticised as paying very little attention to such personal crimes due to lack of evidence [5]. What is more, even as the platforms of forensics grow, there continue to be very large volumes of data, which create a very conducive atmosphere for offenders to hide as it is difficult to trace their illegal digital activities behind such volumes of data [2]. The issue of funding continues to confront several organised agencies fighting digital crimes [4]. Most of these agencies are from developing and underdeveloped countries which also happen to be the target of criminals as the use of the internet for example is international in nature. Conclusion To conclude, it would be said that there are several factors that continue to motivate people to be engaged in digital crimes. Most commonly are the abundant availability of obscure and faceless mediums through which fraudulent transactions and businesses take place. Today, one is able to sit in one part of the world and assure another person in the other part of the world of guaranteed business, for which reason huge sums of money ought to be paid. As trust is gained and paid is done without meeting the other party face-to-face, the ease with which the receiver may run away with the money is very high. Meanwhile, most forms of individual level crimes are hardly pursued and investigated, which has now created a system of mistrust for the internet and most other forms of digital technology. It is therefore expected that most forms of detection mechanisms which have been noted to be applied on institutional levels of digital crimes will also be used for individual digital criminal cases. Once this is done, there can be hopes that digital transactions will be safer for individuals and institutions alike. References [1] IWCC (2014, September 2). The 35th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (IEEE S&P 2014) [Online]. Available: http://stegano.net/IWCC2014/ [2014, December 21] [2] R. Chouhan, “Cyber Crimes: Evolution, Detection and Future Challenges,” The IUP Journal of Information Technology, Vol. 10, pp. 48-55, March 2014. [3] RSA (2013, August, 9). The current state of cybercrime 2013. [Online]. Available: http://www.emc.com/collateral/fraud-report/current-state-cybercrime-2013.pdf [2014, December 22] [4] L. Chang-Tsun, Emerging Digital Forensics Applications for Crime Detection, Prevention, and Security. Warwick: University of Warwick, 2013. [5] M. Urban (2014, September 7). The Challenges & Opportunities in Electronic Payments Fraud [Online]. Available: http://www.banktech.com/the-challenges-and-opportunities-in-electronic-payments-fraud/a/d-id/1279151 [2014, December 21] [6] N. Zhong, "Toward Web Intelligence," Advances in Web Intelligence: 1st Intl Atlantic Web Intelligence Conf. (AWIC 03), LNCS 2663, 2003, pp. 1–14. [7] D. L. Shinder, Scene of the Cybercrime: Computer Forensics Handbook. 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