Law and Technology at Crossroads in Cyberspace

Historical incidents have taught organizations several key lessons on computer crimes. The complexity of the current technology environment dictates that no one mechanism can effectively address computer crimes. Investing in the most sophisticated counter-technologies alone is not enough to fight cyber threats. Thus it has become increasingly important for organizations and governments to establish control frameworks that incorporate proactive measures in the technological, legislative, and administrative dimensions. While it is government’s role to keep up with the legislative rules, organizations need to have the right security policies and guidelines in place as well as develop awareness in the legal front to combat computer crimes. With the review of the academic literature, industry reports, and the media, this chapter identifies various kinds of computer crimes and discusses the counter strategies to tackle such crimes in the legal, technological, and organizational dimensions.