SPOKANE – The growth of the Internet and digital technologies has revolutionized many aspects of American life – the way we work, play and, for some, conduct crime.
Identity theft, stalking by sexual predators, bank fraud, money laundering, cyberterrorism, narcotics trafficking and illegal gambling are just some of the crimes now facilitated by electronic means.
In recognition of this increasing problem, Washington State University is hosting its inaugural Cybercrime and Digital Forensics Conference October 25-26 at the Mirabeau Park Hotel in Spokane, Washington. Attorney General Rob McKenna will be the keynote speaker.
McKenna’s presentation, “How the Attorney General’s Office is Working to Protect Citizens from High-Tech Dangers,” will discuss actions being taken to address the alarming growth in cybercrime.
Also delivering a keynote address will be Linda Criddle, Microsoft’s senior product manager for child safety. Criddle has recently published the book, “Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet,” and will address how child predators are using today’s technology to pursue their victims.
A recent study by the Crimes Against Children Research Center found that one in seven young people who use the Internet is solicited for sex online, one in three is exposed to sexually explicit pictures and one in 11 is harassed or threatened online.
The Washington State Patrol’s Computer Crimes Unit closed 85 cybercrime-related cases in 2005, a 16 percent increase from 2004. As part of its investigations, the unit examined 5,236 gigabytes of data, a 52 percent increase from 2004. To put the size of this data into perspective, the unit examined the equivalent of over 5 million books of information.
At the conference, law enforcement, legal, and accounting tracks will feature expert speakers from the FBI, IRS, Kroll (a global intelligence consulting agency), the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, forensic accountants and attorneys.
In addition to learning the recent trends on how criminals are using technologies to their advantage, break-out sessions will provide guidance on identifying, preserving, examining and presenting digital evidence of crimes and computer misuse. Speakers will include Scott E. Jacobs, executive assistant director for combating terrorism at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Ed Schweitzer, president and founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.
The conference is being planned by the WSU Division of Governmental Studies and Services, WSU Office of the Vice President for Information Systems, WSU Center for Distance and Professional Education, WSU Police Department, WSU Criminal Justice Program, Western Regional Institute for Community Oriented Public Safety and WSU Extension. Major sponsorship for the conference has been provided by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. Additional funding has been provided by Pinnacle Investigations.
For more information, registration and a complete conference agenda, visit www.capps.wsu.edu/conferences/CyberCrime or contact John Thielbahr at
509/335-8177 or jthiel@wsu.edu.
