Police Could be Empowered to Seize PCs that Execute Cyber-Stalking

According to Garry Shewan, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, police should be additionally empowered to confiscate PCs that are utilized for troubling other people online, thus published BBC NEWS dated May 1, 2011.

Apparently, though it may not be difficult for determining the PC utilized for carrying out cyber stalking, it isn't that easy to find out which person committed the particular crime. And as people increasingly utilize computer systems, cyber stalkers have become more capable of intercepting the private details of others by going online.

States Professor Carsten Maple of Bedfordshire University where he's the chief of the National Center for Cyber-Stalking Research, if cyber watchdogs aren't assigned sufficient power for confiscating crime PCs, it becomes hard for establishing the individual behind stalking despite establishing which particular machine the stalker used. EWeek.com published this on April 2, 2011.

Elaborate security specialists, even with whatever is ultimately established, police still find it hard for confiscating PCs until they can substantiate that somebody deliberately tried to create fright or worry.

Paradoxically, with technology expanding, cyber-criminals are now empowered like never before. They transmit spyware and Trojans onto PCs through e-mails alternatively other means. These Trojans are computer programs that pretend to be innocuous software.

Additionally, cyber-criminals are utilizing these malware in increasing instances to infiltrate PCs for committing theft of confidential data or even surreptitiously activating the web camera on them

However, they are being increasingly put to prosecution within the purview of the Malicious Communications Act and this rise has reached a peak of 300% during 2006-10, accounting for a total 899 last year (2010). Also, charges within the purview of the Protection from Harassment Act too have increased to 12,549 from slightly less than 12,000.

Other statistics from CPS (Crown Prosecution Services) reveal that during 2010, 33% of cyber-stalking instances occurred through e-mail, 32% via text-messages as well as 8.4% via social-networking websites.

Meanwhile, a Spokesman for the Home Office stated that the office in coordination with the CPS, police, and charitable organizations was attempting at enhancing the police's counteracting services as well as ensuring that prosecutions were vigorously executed.

Related article: Police Arrests Six Suspects Associated With TJX Credit Scam

» SPAMfighter News - 5/5/2011