Assignment:
An investigator not knowing the difference between a virus, worm or hacker tool can be compared to an officer who mixes up the elements of burglary and robbery. Without being able to articulate the difference, the investigator working on the cybercrime case could file the wrong charges against the cybercriminal, or, worse yet, work diligently on a case that will never stand up in court.
Though it is technically legal to write a virus, distributing one can be illegal if it causes damage, such as destroying property or preventing people from using their computers (denial of service).
Q: How common are investigative errors in computer crime cases? Conduct your own research and then write a two-page summary describing the problems faced by law enforcement. Discuss the causes and problems most common to failed investigations. More importantly, provide realistic strategies for avoiding investigative pitfalls. Please cite specific cases as needed.