An Uneven Playing Field: The Advantages of the Cyber Criminal vs. Law Enforcement-and Some Practical

The computer criminal enjoys several distinct advantages over those security and law enforcement elements arrayed in opposition. This paper offers some observations of the disparities between the criminals manipulating digital data and law enforcement chasing after them; and tenders some suggestions in an effort to even the playing field. This paper does not encompass the issue of international information warfare engaged in by national intelligence agencies, but rather is limited to the threats posed by the free-lance computer criminal generally acting alone or in informal concert with any number of others.