The birth of the internet has transformed the world as we know it˳ It has clearly grown to astronomic proportions since it became a household name in the mid 1990’s˳ If you were born before 1980, you have watched the world change from using rotary telephones to iPhones˳ These days nearly everything can be controlled by the touch of a button˳
Bills can be paid online, movie tickets can be purchased online, you can talk to your loved ones online, and you can take a complete college course – without having to step foot on campus˳ The possibilities of the internet are endless – and technology is changing more rapidly than we can learn to understand it˳
Today, teens and individuals in their twenties are grasping 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 utilizing the internet and computer systems are no different than learning how to build a tree fort˳ For some families, their 13-year-old can build an entire computer system as his father built a model car the generation before˳
With the advent of the internet, came an entirely new way to commit crimes˳ The terms internet crime, cybercrime and computer crime are used interchangeably˳ Simply put, internet crime or cybercrime is a form of crime where the internet or computers are used as a medium to commit crime˳
Internet crimes are vast 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 distribution child pornography˳ One of the most common forms of internet crimes involves identity theft which is commonly done through phishing and pharming˳ These methods set up fake websites (that appear legitimate) to lure unsuspecting victims˳ People are asked to give out personal information such as name, address, phone numbers and bank accounts˳ Criminals then take this information and “steal” the person’s identity˳
Internet crimes are not limited to targeting the consumer; cybercrimes have gone so far as to take on global proportions˳ Cybercrimes can also encompass criminal activities such as espionage, financial theft, and sabotage˳ In May 2010, the Pentagon established the new U˳S˳ Cyber Command, which is headed by the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), to defend American 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 difficulty keeping up, entire task forces have been developed to crack down on internet and cybercrimes˳ 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 where they can obtain, secure, search and process any electronic data for use as evidence in a legal investigation˳ Electronic discovery can involve just a single computer or it can incorporate an entire computer network˳
When you are facing allegations for internet or cybercrimes, it is essential that you seek the advice of a highly skilled attorney who you can trust˳ When your future is at stake – you need somebody who is familiar with both computer technology and the criminal justice system˳ You are urged to contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can help you learn more about what steps you can take to protect your legal rights and your future˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?The-Birth-of-Internet-Crime&id=6450106
