Assistant Deputy Chief Howard Cox of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice discussed emerging technologies, cyber crime, electronic evidence and computer forensics and cyber security in a seminar conducted for local and federal law enforcement officers.
U.S Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the NMI Alicia Limtiaco, who was also on island yesterday for the seminar at the Pacific Islands Club, noted the importance of training and partnership at all levels.
“It is very important to partner with local enforcement and the international community because there is no physical borders in technology — it’s a global issue,” Limitiaco said.
The “Cyber Crime, Electronic Evidence, and Cyber Security Law Enforcement Training” was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice through the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In the afternoon, Cox spoke with members of the CNMI Bar Association.
Cox also provided cyber training on Guam last Tuesday.
Criminals are using the power of the Internet and to counter this, Cox said individuals may improve their computer firewalls, or report any cyber scams immediately to the authorities.
Cox noted that theft of credit card information is “ongoing.”
Limtiaco said the purpose of the training was “to enhance and build upon the legal, investigative and forensic skills of law enforcement, as every crime will eventually have some component or involvement of electronic or digital evidence.”
She added, “The Department of Justice is and continues to be committed to a strong and coordinated response to confront, combat and prevent cyber crime and improve cyber security to protect the public’s safety and economic well-being of our domestic and international community.”
With the explosive growth of the Internet globally, cyber attacks on critical information systems and cyber crime have increased significantly, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
To combat these very serious threats, the Department of Justice said it has established strategies and task forces, including the first National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, the Identity Theft Task Force and the Intellectual Property Task Force, to fight against cyber crime, ensure that the children are safe from predators, protect the health and safety of consumers, and safeguard the financial security of the nation against those who seek to exploit and profit illegally from the ingenuity and hard earned efforts of others.
