1. In our modern times, cell phones are ubiquitous, and as common as they are, i
1. In our modern times, cell phones are ubiquitous, and as common as they are, it should be no surprise that cell phones can play a role in computer crimes. Research the types of crimes that are committed via cell phone. Find a case involving a cell phone. What was the outcome? Be sure to provide details of the case. Do you believe that crimes involving the use of cell phones will increase? Please give reasons to support your answers.
2. Expert consultants are often a part of both criminal and civil investigations. What are reasons why you may need an expert to assist you with an investigation? Why should credibility of an expert matter?
3. What is a deposition? Can a deposition be used during the trial process? What would be the need to use a deposition in trial if the witness if available to testify?
Also respond to Post A and B.
A)Cell phones have definitely become an extension of the individual as almost everyone utilizes one and they can accomplish most daily tasks. Communication, planning, information gathering, and picture taking, are some of the most common uses for cellular telephonic devices (CTD) and this is why they are a significant vulnerability to an individual as a privacy threat. Some common external attacks in proximity are those of bluetooth signal compromise. Attacks like bluebugging, bluesnarfing, and bluejacking are common exploitations to a CTDs bluetooth connectivity and can be used to exfiltrate data or population of malicious files (Kumar, 2017). Other crimes that can be committed via a cell phone are any malicious behavior that can take place on a computer. CTDs are basically pocket sized computers and are vulnerable to malicious websites, compromised wireless data traffic, and smishing, which is abuse of the SMS system which can be used to interrupt MFA security features.
In 2018, 12 individuals were arrested in a sting to stop a cell phone hacking and exploitation ring which was responsible for more than a million dollars in damages. This is proof that the cellular connectivity of a device and the accounts associated can be compromised across the globe. Part of the exploitation was executed from the Dominican Republic and involved over 1,200 cell phones (ICE Newsroom, 2018). The attackers utilized multiple methods to obtain access to users accounts and purchase upgrades and new phones through cellular accounts.
One of the main reasons for including expert consultants during an investigation, both criminal or civil, is to ensure the admissibility in a court of law of any data acquired (Brecht, 2018). Additionally, expert forensic professionals will have the experience and expertise to recover deleted data or uncover obfuscated data which could be extremely beneficial evidence in a case. An expert’s credibility is important because the evidence obtained and the processes used in the acquisition will be heavily scrutinized in any court system. Credible experts will not only make wise decisions in capturing and presenting the data, but they will be able to eloquently support the evidence preparation process.
A deposition is a sworn statement recorded outside of the courtroom and utilized as evidence during trial. The deposition can be used during a trial as it can be entered into the records as evidence for the crimes or civil allegations (Anderson, 2016). Depositions can be useful in a trial where the witness is available to testify for multiple reasons, such as to prove perjury when a witness is changing the testimony and to refresh the witness’s memory, since recollection of events degrades with time (Anderson, 2016). The ability to gather witness testimony in a timely manner can prevent the loss of information in a case that may take over a year to go to trial.
B) Cell phone crime
Cell phones have become an integral part of modern life, but they can also be involved in various types of crime. Some common cell phone-related crimes include cyberbullying, identity theft, and phishing. All of these can involve the use of a cell phone to carry out the crime. The case I found was in 2016 and involved a dispute between the FBI and Apple. The dispute was over the privacy of the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, because the FBI wanted Apple to unlock the device to access potential evidence and Apple refused to because they believed there were privacy concerns (Opderbeck and Hurwitz, 2016). Although this was widely debated the FBI found an alternative method to unlock the phone. I believe that crimes involving cell phone use will increase. As people’s reliance on cell phones increases so will the opportunity to commit crimes with a cell phone.
Expert Consultants
Expert consultants provide specialized knowledge, evidence authentication, interpretation, and professionalism. Their knowledge helps in understanding complex evidence that may not make sense to your average person. The consultant can provide reliability and admissibility in court through authenticating the evidence. A lot of technical evidence will require an expert to interpret the information, because it can sometimes seem like you are looking at another language. The expert’s professionalism brings credibility to investigations which can impact the case’s outcome. This credibility matters because a lack of credibility can undermine the expert’s testimony and weaken the case.
Deposition
A deposition is a pre-trial legal procedure that involves a witness providing a sworn testimony outside the courtroom setting (“Legal Information Institute,” n.d.). This allows for the deposition to be used during the trial. If the witness is available to testify then the deposition could be used to validate what that witness says in court, either providing or diminishing credibility. If the witness decides to deviate from what was said in the deposition, then this would result in a loss of credibility for that witness.
