The Future Digital Crimes and Digital Terrorism

The Future Digital Crimes and Digital Terrorism
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Impact of utilizing information technologies in combating digital crime and terrorism
The impact of using technology to combat digital crime and terrorism are divergent. There is an economic cost to having insecure data, since data breach can damage the reputation and economic well-being of the U.S. national security. The anti-crime agencies can utilize IT to minimize investigation costs since they have a ready pool of personnel well versed in tracking criminal activity. Nonetheless, the development of technology has outpaced the agencies ability to combat crime and terrorism, since criminals and terrorists thrive on exploiting vulnerabilities in the information technology system. Now more than ever before, resources are being set up to combat online crime and terrorism since they compromise the national security and economic well-being of Americans.
Even though, there have been concerns on whether the security needs infringes on privacy rights, surveillance cannot be wished away. There is no consensus on how to balance between privacy and security needs, as security experts use surveillance methods to deter cyber criminals and terrorists (Blakemore & Awan, 2012). There are clues that are picked up by security analyst as they seek to use surveillance on specific individuals. However, the implication of the surveillance programs is that no one is that even private data can be checked without authorization. This implies that the security agents have used information technology to identify security threats, but also collect more information on American citizens. Exposes on the government’s efforts to expand surveillance have been met with skepticism, while highlighting that that people using the internet are not completely anonymous as they leave digital footprints.
Challenges in fighting computer crimes and terrorism
The independent law enforcement agencies are faced with challenges in dealing with the problem of non-territorial computer crimes and terrorism. With the proliferation in using the internet, communication cuts across borders. This implies that organized criminals and terrorists can coordinate their activities at the global scale. The US agencies are limited to the extent that they may require the authorization of other countries to begin investigations, and there is no guarantee that there will be cooperation. This is particularly in the case of money laundering the interconnection of the world of internet pervasive has made it easier for criminals to carry out their illegal activities without being restricted by territory boundaries (Menon & Teo, 2012). In any case, there remain challenges in law and enforcement as the legal enforcement mechanisms differ.
Another challenge that the law enforcement agencies have to contend with is that there are illicit organized markets for cyber criminals and underground terrorist sites. Even when the law agencies may be aware about the sites, sometimes the site users communicate using coded language that non users cannot understand. For instance, there is market for stolen financial information, and such activities further breed criminality (Blakemore & Awan, 201...