Computer Based Crime: The Internet Facilitates A Wide Range

Computer Based Crime the Internet facilitates a wide range of criminal

Describe the deliberately-illegal site. What illegal activities are promoted by this site? How open is this operation? How easy or difficult was it to locate this site? What should be done about the site? Which law enforcement agencies (in the United States or abroad) would have the responsibility of taking action against the owners of the site?

Describe the legitimate site. What are its legitimate purposes? What illegal activities are facilitated by this site? What type of criminal might be tempted to make use of this website? Does it appear that the owners of the site are complicit in law-breaking? Has the website taken any steps to discourage or prevent being used for illegal purposes?

Discuss the different forms that Internet-based crime can take (fraud, provision of illicit goods, money laundering, etc.). Examine the reasons why sites like those you examine are able to continue to operate. Why hasn’t law enforcement taken action? (Keep in mind the constitutional protections regarding free speech, as well as the laws of the location where the site is hosted). In your report, be sure to apply the concepts and terminology from the course wherever possible. Support your responses with examples. Cite any sources in APA format.

Paper For Above instruction

The internet has revolutionized communication, commerce, and social interaction, but it has simultaneously become a fertile ground for a wide spectrum of criminal activities. Understanding the distinction between sites that promote outright illegal activities and legitimate sites that can be exploited for illegal purposes is crucial for developing effective responses to cybercrime. This report examines two types of websites: a deliberately illegal site promoting criminal conduct and a legitimate site susceptible to misuse, analyzing their activities, implications, and the reasons behind their continued operation despite law enforcement efforts.

Part I: Deliberately Illegal Site

An example of a deliberately illegal website is a platform that facilitates the sale of illegal firearms. Such sites often operate in secrecy, utilizing anonymizing technology like the Tor network to hide their servers’ locations. These sites promote activities banned by law, such as the illegal sale and purchase of weapons, which pose a significant threat to public safety. The openness of these operations varies; some are hidden deep within encrypted dark web marketplaces, making them difficult to discover and access without specific knowledge or tools. Locating such sites involves navigating cyber undergrounds and using specialized search engines or networks designed to access hidden parts of the internet, which can be challenging and risky.

Law enforcement agencies responsible for addressing illegal firearms sales include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the United States, along with international agencies like INTERPOL. These organizations work collaboratively to identify vendors, dismantle illegal networks, and prosecute offenders. International cooperation is vital since these sites often operate across borders, leveraging jurisdictional ambiguities to evade capture. Enforcement actions may involve cyber investigations, undercover operations, and technological interventions to shut down servers hosting illicit sites.

Part II: Legitimate Site

A typical legitimate website example is an online banking platform that provides customers with secure financial services. Its primary purposes include facilitating legitimate financial transactions, account management, and providing access to banking services remotely. However, such sites can sometimes facilitate illegal activities like money laundering, where criminals use legitimate banking services to conceal illicit funds. Criminals engaged in fraud or drug trafficking might exploit such platforms to transfer stolen or illegal proceeds discreetly.

The owners of legitimate banking sites are generally not complicit in law-breaking, provided they adhere to regulatory compliance, conduct due diligence, and implement anti-fraud measures. Nonetheless, some criminal elements may attempt to trick users through phishing or malware that mimics legitimate banking sites, thereby facilitating identity theft or unauthorized transfers. In response, banks have adopted numerous measures such as multi-factor authentication, monitoring for suspicious activity, and educating customers to prevent unauthorized use.

Analysis of Internet-Based Crime and Enforcement Challenges

Internet-based crimes encompass a range of illicit activities, including fraud (e.g., credit card scams), the provision of illicit goods (e.g., drugs, weapons), and money laundering. The anonymity afforded by the internet complicates enforcement, allowing offenders to operate across borders, exploiting jurisdictional gaps. Many illegal sites continue to operate due to numerous factors: technical sophistication enabling anonymization, jurisdictional challenges, legal protections for free speech, and the resource constraints faced by law enforcement agencies.

Constitutional protections, particularly the First Amendment in the United States, pose legal barriers to shutting down certain types of content, especially when the sites claim protected speech rights. Additionally, law enforcement agencies often face difficulties in identifying operators, tracing transactions, and obtaining legal jurisdiction, especially when websites are hosted in countries with lax cybercrime laws. These complexities contribute to the persistence of many illegal online operations, despite ongoing efforts to combat them.

Conclusion

The internet facilitates various forms of cybercrime, including scams, illicit trade, and money laundering, all of which exploit the strengths and vulnerabilities of digital networks. The continued operation of illegal sites, despite law enforcement efforts, highlights the challenges posed by technological anonymity, jurisdictional ambiguities, and legal protections. Addressing these issues requires international cooperation, technological innovation, and ongoing legal reform. Effective regulation must strike a balance between safeguarding free expression and preventing criminal activities. Increased awareness, better monitoring technologies, and strengthened legal frameworks are essential to curbing cybercrime and ensuring that the benefits of the internet do not come at the expense of public safety and social order.

References

• Chen, A. (2020). The Dark Web: Exploring the Deep Web and Dark Web. Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law, 15(4), 45-59.
• Holt, T. J., & Bossler, A. M. (2018). Cybercrime in Progress: Theory and Crime Prevention. Routledge.
• Li, H., & Powers, R. (2019). Cybercrime and Cybersecurity: An Introduction. Journal of Cybersecurity, 5(2), 101-112.
• McGuire, M., & Dowling, S. (2019). Cyber Crime: A Review of the Evidence and Issues. The Police Journal, 92(3), 213-229.
• Rogers, M. K., & Carter, D. L. (2021). Law Enforcement Challenges in Combating Internet Crime. International Journal of Cybersecurity, 12(1), 98-113.
• Saini, S., & Katiyar, S. (2022). Legislation and Cybercrime: Need for Modern Laws. Journal of Cyber Law, 8(3), 215-229.
• Scott, J., & Morgan, R. (2017). Hacking the Human: Social Engineering and the Psychology of Cyber Crime. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 20(7), 396-404.
• Wall, D. S. (2018). Cybercrime: The Transformation of Crime in the Information Age. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 12(4), 351-359.
• Yar, M. (2019). Cybercrime and Society. Sage Publications.
• Zhang, Y., & Liu, Z. (2020). International Cooperation on Cybercrime: Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of International Law and Policy, 22(2), 145-163.