Policing Cyberspace

Criminals will love digital cash. Anybody can use it to transfer money for legal or illegal purposes.

Policing Cyberspace

No legislative act can stop the spread of cryptography.

We are totally, enthusiastically supportive of encryption technology for the public. We merely think that criminals, terrorists, child abductors, perverts and bombers should not have an environment free from law enforcement or a search warrant. I think most victims of crime agree.

Policing Cyberspace

E-mail passes from machine to machine, and many people in the middle can read it. Systems are also vulnerable to break-ins, and passwords are commonly stolen. Some may decide they don’t need the high level of privacy cryptology affords, especially given the additional effort encrypting data requires. But as Internet communications becomes common, people will want private contact with business associates, physicians, attorneys, accountants and lovers.

Policing Cyberspace

Cybercops especially worry that outlaws are now able to use powerful cryptography to send and receive uncrackable secret communications. That could make some investigations impossible and create a breed of “crypto-criminals.”

Policing Cyberspace

Computer networking and sophisticated data processing are making it easier and cheaper for businesses and the government to collect … personal data … Knowing a person’s Social Security number is often enough to get into medial and financial records. A second problem is that wrong and harmful “facts” can creep into databases. Malicious tipsters can poison a person’s record with innuendo, and it takes much more effort to correct the mistake. In this environment, it is virtually inevitable that Americans will demand stronger privacy protections.

Policing Cyberspace

Keeping up with the wise guys in cyberspace will tax the imaginations and budgets of law enforcement agencies and put revolutionary pressures on America’s notions of privacy, property and the limits of free speech. The rights of everyone are at stake.

Policing Cyberspace

No one knows exactly how much computer crime there is, though FLETC’s experts agree the damage starts in the billions of dollars and will surely surge upward. The size and scope of cybercrimes are limited only by the bad guys’ imaginations, technical skill and gall … Crimes that worry authorities most [are] white-collar crime … theft … stolen services … smuggling … terrorism … child pornography.

Policing Cyberspace

Crime involving high technology is going to be off the boards. It won’t be long before the bad guys outstrip our ability to keep up with them.

Policing Cyberspace

The day is coming very fast when every cop will be issued a badge, a gun and a laptop.