As information technology devices have proliferated into every area of our lives, the age-old phenomenon of crime has kept pace and learnt new ways to operate in the digital world. One of the most common types of digital crime is “hacking.” This involves gaining long-distance access and control of a computer with malicious intent to commit illegal activities such as financial fraud or theft of intellectual property.
Other types of digital crime include breaking passwords to access a computer’s content, intercepting emails and cyber-porn. Digital crime is a crime like any other and may lead to imprisonment and other serious legal implications for the culprit.
Forensics
Forensics is defined as the use of technology and science for investigation and fact recovery when dealing with criminal matters. Digital forensics, as the name suggests, is the art and science of applying computer science to aid the legal process. It involves the application of computer investigation and analysis techniques in the interests of determining potential legal evidence. Some cases in particular use digital forensics as their lead of evidence to indict a criminal offender.
Digital forensics is increasingly playing a more prominent role in law enforcement and network security. This field of study encompasses not just digital evidence, but also the areas of cyber law, sociology and digital security. Its importance is felt in its growing role within crime investigations, solving civil cases and boosting national security.
Types of Cyber-crime
Regulatory and legal bodies are today recognizing the importance of electronically stored Information. Digital evidence is useful in many cases such as theft of intellectual property, accessing and viewing confidential files without authorization, destroying or modifying data and terrorist-related activities.
Theft of intellectual property is a serious matter. The world has become very competitive. Unfortunately, under pressure to gain market share some companies indulge in industrial espionage, targeting strategy papers, engineering drawings, R&D results, confidential information about bids and mergers and details of upcoming new products of their competitors. Mostly this is done by luring some employee of the competitor and rewarding him for copying intellectual property or confidential files and smuggling them off the premises.
Terrorist-related activities have taken sinister overtones in the last few decades. Terrorists have become smarter and more technology-savvy. They use computers to store details of their contacts and plans to execute bomb blasts or hijack planes. They also access the Net to gain useful information such as bomb recipes, collect details about their target, access maps and exchange emails with their facilitators to coordinate movements or set up meeting places.
Cyber-porn is illegal in many countries, though in many Western countries it is acceptable. However, there is a version of porn that is not tolerated anywhere in the world – child porn. It is something that is an assault on humanity and all our civilization values. There are many predators out there who lure innocent young children into porn activities or even force them to do so.
Phishing and email scams are now quite common on the Internet. There is hardly anyone among us who has not received emails originating from
In phishing, fake websites are created that pretend to sell various services or goods. Once you enter your credit card details and the secret three digit number, this information is copied by the site administrator who then goes on a shopping spree using your bank credit. You are in for a shock when the next month’s card statement arrives carrying a debit balance that is going to break your bank.
Cracking Cases through Computer Forensics
It is a challenge to solve cases of cyber-crime through digital forensics. It is a science that relies on special training of investigators in various techniques. They use customized software and hardware to crack digital crimes such as terrorism, child porn, theft of intellectual property, financial fraud, threatening or obscene emails and so on. Digital forensics investigators have to be very careful the way they collect evidence. There is a particular procedure to do so. Any deviation will make the evidence inadmissible in a court of law.
As digital investigators hone their skills, the criminals try to remain one step ahead. For example, the terrorists today do not send emails to each other. They just open a simple email account and all of them use it to write messages to each other and save them as draft. It becomes a meeting ground for them to discuss their strategy and plans, but the investigators find it difficult to keep trace of this activity because the emails never travel through cyber-space.
All this is just a part of the eternal struggle for one-upmanship between criminals and law-enforcement agencies. Digital forensic investigators have to constantly invent new technologies and learn unique tricks to stay a step ahead.