Sa state ng California sa United States of America, itinatag ang bagong eCrime Unit upang manghuli at maglitis ng mga internet crooks. Ang team na ito ay binuo ng isang state attorney general at kinabibilangan ng dalawampung abogado at imbestigador. Bihasa sila sa mga makabagong paraan upang matunton at matukoy ang mga maysala. Kabilang sa mga tinututukan ng team na ito ay mga email scams, piracy, child pornography, online fraud, at marami pang iba. Kawawa lamang ang mga taong nabiktima at patuloy na nabibiktima mapa-offline man o mapa-online.

Naipakulong na ng team ang isang lalaking nahatulan ng guilty sa kasong hacking ng mga email at Facebook accounts. Marami nang nabiktima ang lalaking ito na ang karaniwang modus ay pasukin ang account ng ibang user. Pagkatapos ay maghahanap siya ng mga kontrobersiyal na larawan ng may-ari ng account. Tatakutin niya ito na ikakalat sa internet ang mga larawan kapag hindi sinunod ang gusto niya.

Ang internet ay napakahalaga sa ekonomiya, sa mga tao, at sa mga negosyo. Dahil dito, hindi na kailangang maghanap ng biktima ang mga cyber criminals. Napakaraming maaaring maging biktima ng pagnanakaw ng mga impormasyon. Ang taong 2012 ay nakikinikinitang magiging taon ng matinding pakikipaglaban sa online crimes. Naranasan noong isang taon ang napakaraming mga scams at inaasahang marami pang darating ngayong taon.

Ito naman ang dahilan ng pagpapaigting ng kampanya laban sa ecrime. Ang bagong eCrime Unit ay naglalayong makagawa ng isang bagong trend ng pakikipaglaban sa online crimes. Sinabi ng attorney general mula California na gusto nilang manguna sa makabagong paraan sa paghahanap at paglilitis ng mga maysala. Gamit ang internet technology na siya ring gamit ng mga criminal, mapatutunayang ang batas ay mangingibabaw sa lahat ng oras.

Today, businesses and government agencies should prepare for all of these looming disasters. Each should have an individual plan for disaster recovery. In today’s information-driven world, further disasters can result from power outages and network failures. There should still be time for every business to adjust and respond to risks. In any possible event, there should be uninterrupted and continuous access to either personal or corporate data.

There should be a system for disaster preparedness. For any company, it is a well-known fact that its most important assets are its people. Unquestionably, for these people, their most important asset is their family. Is there a company or agency plan on how to move its people, including their families, if the need arises? Another consideration is to make a communication plan that is timely, clear and honest.

Every company and agency has a host of information that is vital to the uninterrupted course of activities. There should be a data back-up plan which should be verified and validated, and situated out of harm’s way. It should also be accessible to the recovery location. To ensure better data privacy, cloud service is now available for the storage of key data.

There is no certainty as to how long catastrophic events could last. Some may last for days, others for weeks, and still others for months. There have to be options if the facilities, network, technology and people could not be available. It is also very vital to think about those other businesses associated with “parent” companies. Their preparedness has a direct effect on any company or agency because jointly, they form a chain or network. There is more impact if not only one, everybody else involved is well-prepared.

Kung ikaw ay naghahanap ng trabaho gamit ang mga online ads, umiwas sa mga nanghihingi ng iyong mga personal na impormasyon. Marami sa mga cyber criminals ang nagtatago sa likod nga mga legal na job sites para lamang magmukhang tunay din sila. Ang iba sa kanila ay gumagamit pa ng mga sikat na logo o ng mga salitang nakapanghihikayat nang sa ganoo’y makuha ang iyong atensyon. Malalaman mo na lang na peke pala ang mga links na kanilang ginagamit. Kapag pinindot mo ang mga ito, dadalhin ka lamang sa website ng isang kompanyang animo’y totoo, subalit wala palang ganoon.

Kung hindi manghihingi ng iyong personal na impormasyon, meron namang pagbabayarin ka kapalit ng isang serbisyo. Marami nang naging biktima ng ganitong estilo at sa katunayan, dumarami pa ang naloloko. Pagkatapos magbayad, saka palang nila malalamang wala naman palang ganoong klaseng serbisyo. Mahirap pa naman silang mahuli dahil biglang “nagsasara” ang kanilang kompanya at hindi mo na sila mahahagilap.

Para sa mga online job hunters katulad mo, mainam kung maisasaulo ang mga simpleng tips upang makaiwas sa ganitong sitwasyon. Unang-una, huwang basta magbibigay ng iyong personal na impormasyon online, lalo na iyong hindi job related. Walang lehitimong employer na manghihingi ng social security number, date of birth, home address, at iba pa kaagad agad. Isa sa mga pinaka “no-no” ang pagbibigay ng impormasyong personal sa pamamagitan ng telepono, email, o fax.

Pagdating naman sa iyong resume, dapat mong isaisip na ito ang iyong pinakapuhunan. Napapaloob ditto ang mga sensitibong impormasyon na dapat manatiling “private”. Huwag na huwag mo itong ipamimigay nang walang mahalagang dahilan. Kung kailangan mo itong i-post online, pumili ng job site na may malinaw na privacy policy. Doon ka sa hindi basta-bastang binibigyan ng access ang mga recruiters sa iyong personal na impormasyon.

Kung kailangan mong ma-verify ang isang employer, hanapin ang contact number nito at tawagan. Kung magiging praktikal, mas mabuting bumisita ng personal sa kinaroroonan ng kompanya o opisina nito. Saka mo pa lamang masasabi kung ito nga ay lehitimo o hindi.

But why are these privacy advocates reacting negatively on the proposed law? The reason is that such legislation would turn each person who uses the internet into a victim. They argue that this law, if passed, would oblige all internet service providers, or ISPs, to track all on line activities of every user and save the information for 18 months. As an additional requirement, ISPs are supposed to store this data together with the user’s name, home address, bank account and credit card numbers, and their assigned IP address.

An argument raised says that tracking all of the user’s internet activities is not the solution to the problem on internet child pornography. Compared to the millions of internet users, there are only very few child pornographers who are hiding online. So why place everyone under “surveillance” where all internet users would become suspects of a crime that most of them would not even think about? Its final effect would be detrimental to freedom of speech and threatening to the online privacy of every American.

Even if someone is not yet under investigation, the law would allow the tracking of that person. The simple reason of doubt would be sufficient enough so that his or her internet history can be accessed by the police. One state representative said that the law would create several risks that far outweigh the benefits that it would give. He is not convinced that it would have a major positive effect in protecting children. But since these are only arguments, it is still possible that the law could be the real solution to the problem of online child pornography.

There are doubts about supermarkets collecting a great deal of consumer data via electronic shopper cards or e-cards. This vast amount of information could then be combined with other biometric technology. With some data processing, a person’s in-depth personal database could be easily built. All of this could occur without the consent or knowledge of the person concerned.

What is the big deal about shopping cards getting onto the list of items that pose privacy risks? Studies were conducted to find out how stores can attract people to use their cards. Card experts say that shoppers do not receive special benefits with e-cards, despite the good offers. There is no real savings because the prices of the items that are included in the “deals” are usually marked up.

The several studies conducted that compared the prices of items in stores that offered e-card discounts and those that did not, showed the true story. Out of the 89 stores that were involved in the price tracking, only 13 really had lower prices. There were 52 stores that had their prices unchanged, and 24 had even higher prices. A spokesperson from Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) said something that consumers have to think about. Some stores just use these card discount programs as ploys so that shoppers will use their cards. The reality is that there are retailers who collect shoppers’ personal data.

Although these are all just suspicions, there is some truth in them. This was admitted by one employee of a company that collects and analyzes shopper data. She said that her company’s involvement in shopper card programs is “risk-free”. She explained that customers are tracked based only on UPC number and frequent shopper card number. The company’s sole intention is to use this data in order to get a picture of what shoppers typically buy and give them offers based on this information. She stated that the company does not, in any way, collect any personally identifiable information.

Consumers are expected to think hard the next time they are given such e-card offers. Before finally deciding to use their cards, they have to consider if it is worth their privacy. Without their knowledge, they might be providing personal information to retailers and other interested parties. They have to remember that their e-cards contain vital information. Unscrupulous people who can get hold of this information can use it to the disadvantage of the shopper.

The earlier technology versions of online transactions were mostly done using desktop computers. Later, laptops and notebooks became more accessible and transactions were made even easier. Companies can easily keep track of their financial records from almost everywhere. Today, the use of smart phones is slowly becoming more popular among businessmen. In the past, these gadgets were largely used in social networking, more particularly Facebook and Twitter.

A new survey showed that more and more people are using their smart phones to transmit personal and financial information. The purposes of uploading these pieces of information are mostly for online banking, shopping or social networking. Among users, about 17% use their smart phones for money matters. This fact has attracted the interest of online criminals to take advantage of making money at the expense of companies.

Critics said that doing online transactions with the use of a mobile device is both fun and time saving. Clearly, criminals are also on their toes, ready for every chance to see how they can benefit out of the situation. That is why businessmen should not be overly confident, but should remain cautious. There is a new technique used by online criminals that is concealed under the guise of “the good stuff”.

The ongoing increase in the demand for smart phones and mobile and web applications has given online criminals the “go” signal. They have seen the benefits of using malicious software (or malware) in order to get into users’ accounts. Hiding behind online application stores, these criminals would lure smart phone users to download rouge apps. Without noticing it, the user also downloads a program that would allow the swindler to take control of his phone. With the rouge apps, criminals would eventually gain access to all personal and payment data of the phone owner.

Smart phone users have to take full control when deciding to use their device for accessing the web. Furthermore, they should be careful about applications they are going to download. They should learn lessons from those previous victims who suffered unauthorized charges against their accounts. Some were made to pay for premium calls that they did not make. As smart phone users, you are expected to be smarter than the online criminals, right?

The woman took the identity of her ex-boyfriend, who works as a police narcotics officer. The posts that were mostly self-destructive appeared to be made by him. There was one comment that talked about his being “high all the time”. Others mentioned his disreputable activities like frequenting prostitutes and escort services, and that he had herpes.

Impersonation, however it is done, is aimed at obtaining a benefit for one’s own self or to injure or defraud another. Way back in 2006, the issues of online impersonation and cyber bullying came out and quickly spread. It all started with the suicide of a 13-year-old girl who became a target online by a fictitious 13-year old boy. The case concluded with the “boy” being identified actually as the mother of another teenage girl.

The lawyer of the New Jersey woman nearly succeeded in his attempt to have the case dismissed. The attorney said that electronic communications is not mentioned in the New Jersey law. This prompted the New Jersey legislature to look into the law and to make such needed amendments. The lawyer continued by saying that the move to make revisions on the current law is an admission that his client’s action is not covered by it.

The case at hand may or may not amount to something, but what is clear at present is that identity theft can really be destructive. Just this simple case of faking a Facebook page can ruin one’s reputation and character. There seems to be no effective way of checking with 100% accuracy the identity of a user. There is a possibility that any user could just be pretending to be someone else.

A report said that cyber crime mafias, who are mostly foreigners, are gradually making the Philippines their base of operations. According to the top official, the PNP at present has no organizational and technical capability to fight cyber crimes. These syndicates use sophisticated technology, while law enforcers fall behind in terms of training and equipment. In fact, he said he has asked for support for immediate organizational and technical capability in order to build-up the concerned unit.

The arrest of a foreign national hacker in the country exposed the wide network of cyber crime. There are mafias working behind the operations of illegal online gambling and credit card fraud activities in the country. The operations of these groups seem unhampered as evidenced by the fast growth of their connections.

The Anti-Transnational and Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested a 38-year old Korean national hacker. He was on the list of those wanted by Interpol for large-scale internet fraud. Investigations revealed that the Korean group had hacked the servers of the country’s top telecommunication companies. Further investigations uncovered the group’s intrusion into the accounts of some private corporations.

Although the CIDG has been successful in raiding seven of the group’s illegal online casinos, the country’s capacity to counter cyber crime has not improved. There are also reports that Filipinos are being used as “e-mules” for their transnational money laundering and credit card fraud operations. It seems that these criminals can get around Philippine laws so easily that they prefer to build their refuge there than in other countries.

Behind the scenes of the beneficial effects of internet technology are those unscrupulous criminals who use that same technology to carry out their own agenda. There is a very high risk of cyber attacks, coming in different forms. There is espionage, malware, denial-of-service, cyber war, and terrorism that lurk behind the interconnected systems. This is one concern that needs to be addressed not only by individual networks, but by the cooperative effort of all.

Network protection is becoming more and more important, and researchers in Germany have proposed a new approach to it. They believe that the risk of cyber attack could be reduced by rewarding those organizations that support their own network security. They have observed that those organizations who have implemented this strategy have greatly reduced the spread of malware and other problems. Today, communications that are internet and computer-based are, for the most part, done anonymously. This results in systems becoming ever more vulnerable to cyber attacks and harassment.

The researchers explained that international or national agreements could be a start to a coordinated system of rewards. They also suggest that organizations which are highly exposed to cyber attacks should be subsidized. They added that network security on vulnerable sites should be improved in order to hinder the spread of malicious software. This is how cyber criminals create bot-nets that attack not only weak corporate networks, but others that they also find appealing.

At present, there are only very few participants who invest in cyber attack protection that benefits them. Although it adds to their cost, the entire internet community would also be indirectly benefited. The researchers believe that with a reward system in place, small and large networks can become involved. It could be a scaled reward system that would motivate them to ensure that their systems are secure.

To rule out speculation that a police officer committed a complicated crime, police officials have ordered the DNA testing of law enforcement personnel. This unpopular order was issued after the deaths of eight women in Louisiana in 2009. These were cases of a serial killer that showed a high degree of “workmanship” in committing the murders. Rumors spread that a police officer was involved in the killings. Consequently, all officers in Louisiana agreed to undergo testing. The final outcome showed that the killer was not among them.

Some officers feel that this DNA collection is not something they should give much attention to. They say that having a DNA file of police officers is important in conducting crime scene investigations because it would make it easier for them to recognize unknown genetic materials found at crime scenes.

However, others believe that handing over their DNA should not be an easy decision. There are many privacy concerns that have to be clarified prior to giving in to this DNA collection. Those who do not believe in the idea of DNA profiling say that there have to be safeguards in place. Owners of the DNA should have a clear understanding as to how this DNA would be handled and by making sure that it is treated with extreme care.

Police unions have also given their official stand concerning this matter. Their officials have told their members about the possible outcome of agreeing to their DNA being profiled. They said that there are no controls as to the storage of the DNA, so there is a high likelihood of privacy and abuse problems.

Some countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have been keeping files of DNA of their officers for several years. It was in 1995 when the U.K. government started their system of keeping a database of criminal suspects. The United States later adopted this same system, and the country is believed to have the world’s largest DNA database of criminals today.