Cybercrime is one of the most confounding issues facing law enforcement today. From ransomware to cryptomining to phishing, there are a number of ways for criminals to invade computers and networks—and those ways are constantly changing. The topic is nebulous to the point that observers are not even able to reach consensus on cybercrime’s financial impact—though one figure from 2012 put the total cost at $1 trillion.¹

Although the burden of investigating and preventing cybercrime does not fall solely on police agencies, there is still a role for police to play, and the complex nature of cybercrime can make fulfilling that responsibility a daunting proposition.

“The problem lies in the fact that technology is ever-changing and ever-evolving,” said Tyler Wotring, director of high-tech initiatives for the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), based in Fairmont, West Virginia. “Bad guys spend time on new attacks and new vectors, and, then, law enforcement has to spend time with the defensive and the investigative ends.”²

With that in mind, knowledge is power when it comes to cybersecurity, both in understanding and investigating criminal activity and ensuring department networks are themselves safe from attack. NWC3 and other organizations and companies have developed various cybersecurity training programs designed specially for police agencies. Many training programs are created in conjunction with or supported by federal entities; as a result, some programs are available at little or no cost to trainees.

“Budgets are tight, and tools and resources are limited,” Wotring said. “The question is: How do I implement measures to reduce or resolve issues?”

Courses are available both online and in person. Online courses offer a convenient and effective way of introducing relevant personnel to various issues in cybersecurity, from the dark web to general information on how computers work, Wotring said. Courses focus on networks as well as individual computers and extend to smartphone apps—one of the hottest areas of interest for cybercrime.

“The goal is to explain concepts and basic attack vectors and tools like person review logs,” Wotring said. “We have a full track of courses, from basic to advanced to mobile apps, where there is a lot of activity.”

Perhaps the most enticing aspect of these courses, Wotring said, is that they are available free of charge to agencies. That’s thanks to NWC3 partnerships with agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice, including the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

On the online side, NWC3 offers a course on cyberstalking, that provides “information on what constitutes cyberstalking in a legal context and information on handling cyberstalking complaints.”

“Common elements of cyberstalking cases, potential tools and platforms used by cyberstalkers, and behavioral indicators are covered in this course,” the NWC3 website states. “Developed with a victim-centered approach, this course provides information on establishing a relationship with victims to maximize their safety and further investigative efforts.”³

More specific investigation techniques and methods also are part of the NWC3 curriculum. For example, a course called Introduction to Cell Phone Investigations instructs users on how to navigate a cyber environment that’s different in key ways from an online network.

“[There are] two phases of a cell phone investigation: the preservation, extraction, and analysis of data within the phone; and the acquisition and analysis of data external to the phone (call detail records and other information),” the NWC3 website states.

NWC3 also offers in-person courses. Classroom training is available at locations around the United States and focuses on topics like digital forensic analysis and financial crimes. In general, understanding what to look for—and how to look for it—is at the heart of effective cybercrime enforcement and investigation, and organizations like NWC3 are striving to provide that information.

“What types of bread crumbs are they leaving on themselves?” Wotring said. “It becomes like a reverse investigation.”

At the same time, part of having a great offense is having a great defense, and the ability to protect an agency’s network is an important part of any cybersecurity strategy.

“What security systems can be put in place to make sure systems are hard enough to put a plan in place?” Wotring asked. “The data law enforcement agencies have make them a high-value target.”

With so many areas to consider, good training programs need to be comprehensive. The Global Society of Homeland and National Security Professionals, a law enforcement training organization based in Exeter, Rhode Island, has plenty of offerings related to cybersecurity, and those options are multivariate. One training package is the Homeland Security Certification Program.⁴

The program unfolds on four levels, each with different areas of emphasis, including information technology and cybersecurity, among other areas. At Level II of the program, critical infrastructure protection and vulnerability assessment are part of the curriculum. Cyberterrorism is a specific area of focus at Level III, and those who participate in Level IV undergo training in part on violent non-state actors, which often use computer hacking and similar methods to achieve their objectives.

Informational Resources

Don’t know where to start? Cybercrime is a highly complex and mutable component for any law enforcement entity.

One leader in helping to keep police departments informed is the Law Enforcement Cyber Center, a website from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, NW3C, and the Police Executive Research Forum. The center was made possible in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of Justice Programs.⁵

“The Cyber Center was developed to enhance the awareness, expand the education, and build the capacity of justice and public safety agencies to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and respond to cyber threats and cyber crimes,” the center website states. “It is intended to be a national resource for law enforcement and related justice and public safety entities.”⁶

The center’s website functions as a clearinghouse of information for anyone interesting in learning more about cybercrime from a law enforcement perspective. For example, the site contains a primer on IT security, including instructions for separating data and segmenting networks, building firewalls, educating users, and proactively formulating a cyber-attack response plan.

The center also helps promote activities and initiatives centering on cybercrime and law enforcement. For example, the center recently helped support the 2019 Cyber Crime Conference, which provided three days of extensive cybercrime training for law enforcement.

Agency cybersecurity and law enforcement’s response to cybercrime are rapidly evolving challenges for police worldwide, but as discussed herein, they do not need to face it alone—organizations, resources, and training are available to guide agency leaders and investigators as they find their way to effective solutions. d

Notes: 

¹ Peter Maass and Megha Rajagopalan, “Does Cybercrime Really Cost $1 Trillion?,”  ProPublica, August 1, 2012. 

² Tyler Wotring (director, High-Tech Initiatives, National White Collar Crime Center), telephone interview, March 14, 2019.  

³ National White Collar Crime Center, “NW3C.”  

⁴ Global Society of Homeland and National Security Professionals, “CHPP Homeland Security Certification.”  

⁵ IACP Law Enforcement Cyber Center.  

⁶ IACP Law Enforcement Cyber Center, “About the Cyber Center.” 

Please cite as

Scott Harris, “Cybersecurity: A Growing Body of Resources for a Growing Concern,” Product Feature, Police Chief 86, no. 5 (May 2019): 60–61.