Hacker Hunters

Computer technology and the interconnectivity of cyberspace have opened multiple avenues for global networking, while producing the underside of this phenomenon: a new wave of organized cybercrime. Criminals the world over are exploiting the ties of the internet to steal identities, forge documents, launder money, and sell stolen goods. As BusinessWeek reports, US and other governmental officials are executing a fierce crackdown on the trend. Last year, cyberthieves gained access to 18 million e-mail accounts, and made off with US$17.5 billion and 1.7 million credit card numbers from corporations and individuals worldwide. And despite intensifying law enforcement efforts, thousands of criminals are still at large. Hackers set up shop in areas with lax cybercrime enforcement – Russia, Eastern Europe, and China – evading the law while still connected to the global e-community. Officials have made some progress, including several high-profile arrests, but the fundamental uncertainties caused by the internet's global reach makes this ilk of crime-fighting ever-more complicated. – YaleGlobal