The birth of the Internet has transformed the world as we know it. It’s evident that it’s grown to astronomical proportions since it became a household name in the mid-1990s. If you were born before 1980, you’ve seen the world shift from rotary phones to iPhones. These days, almost everything can be controlled at the touch of a button.
Bills can be paid online, movie tickets can be purchased online, you can talk to loved ones online, and you can take an entire college course, without ever setting foot on campus. The possibilities of the Internet are endless, and technology is changing faster than we can learn to understand.
Today, teens and twenties are grabbing and exploiting computer technology like never before. Children are already known for their marked ability to learn and assimilate information at a very young age: absorbing and using the Internet and computer systems is no different than learning to build a tree fort. For some families, their 13-year-old son can build an entire computer system like his father built a model car the previous generation.
With the advent of the Internet, a whole new way of committing crime emerged. The terms Internet crime, cybercrime, and computer crime are used interchangeably. Simply put, Internet crime or cybercrime is a form of crime in which the Internet or computers are used as a means to commit crimes.
Internet crime is wide and expansive and can include anything from downloading illegal music files to stealing someone’s identity. Cybercrime can also include stealing millions of dollars from online bank accounts to distribute child pornography. One of the most common forms of Internet crime involves identity theft, which is commonly done through phishing and pharming. These methods set up fake websites (which look legitimate) to lure unsuspecting victims. People are asked to provide personal information, such as name, address, phone numbers, and bank accounts. Criminals then take this information and “steal” the person’s identity.
Internet crime is not limited to the consumer; Cybercrime has gone so far as to assume global proportions. Cybercrime can also encompass criminal activities such as espionage, financial theft, and sabotage. In May 2010, the Pentagon established the new US Cyber Command, headed by the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), to defend US military networks. It also serves to attack the computer systems of other countries.
Due to the fact that criminal activities have spread at a rate that law enforcement has had a hard time keeping up, entire task forces have been developed to crack down on Internet and cybercrime. There is a method called electronic discovery, or e-discovery, which is a type of cyber forensics. Electronic discovery is a process employed by law enforcement in which they can obtain, protect, search, and process any electronic data for use as evidence in a legal investigation. Electronic discovery can involve a single computer or it can incorporate an entire computer network.
When you are facing Internet or cyber crime charges, it is essential that you seek the advice of a highly-qualified attorney whom you can trust. When your future hangs in the balance, you need someone who is familiar with both computer technology and the criminal justice system. We urge you to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help you learn more about steps you can take to protect your legal rights and your future.