Cybercrime and Digital Forensics: An Introduction - Hardcover

‘There is little doubt that digital technology will continue its dramatic growth for years to come. These developments will have profound effects on social relations, often for the better. Unfortunately, digital technology will also present unprecedented opportunities for criminal exploitation. Individuals, governments and businesses will be challenged as a result. Cybercrime and Digital Forensics is the most thorough and comprehensive introduction to cybercrime and its control that I have come across to date. It is, without doubt, the best of its kind. Exceptionally readable and richly documented, this contribution by Holt, Bossler, and Seigfried-Spellar is an ideal undergraduate text for courses on cybercrime and its control. Not only will it engage students, but the book’s broad coverage also makes it a valuable resource for scholars and lay readers.’ - Peter Grabosky, Professor Emeritus, Australian National University, Australia

'The authors have produced an excellent book In Cybercrime and Digital Forensics - clear, accessible, up-to-date and thorough in its coverage of all issues related to cybercrime and its investigation. This is an invaluable resource for all students and instructors in criminology and criminal justice who are interested in cybercrime.' - Majid Yar, Professor of Sociology, University of Hull, UK

‘The initial chapters of the book do an excellent job of establishing the conceptual and empirical foundation of the analysis presented in later chapters: they clearly and comprehensively explain the interaction between cybercrime and technology, which is an essential foundation for understanding the issues the book goes on to address; they also outline the nature and origins of hackers and hacking and the law that applies to such activity, as well as providing a similar, detailed introduction into other areas of cybercrime. The book is unusual, and unusually valuable, in that it does not just confine its focus to cybercrime, but also addresses cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare, an essential element given that it can be difficult to distinguish crime, war and terrorism in cyberspace. And, finally, the final chapters provide an insightful, detailed description and analysis of the conceptual, legal and technical issues involved in the use of digital forensics in investigating any or all of the three types of cyberthreats.’ - Susan Brenner, Professor & Samuel A. McCray Chair in Law, University of Dayton, USA

‘This book occupies an important position in the field by helping readers to understand the nuances of cybercrime and digital forensics. I highly recommend this book to both students and those experienced in cybercrime and digital forensics.’ - George E. Higgins, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Justice Administration, University of Louisville, USA

The emergence of the World Wide Web, smartphones, and Computer-Mediated Communications (CMCs) profoundly affect the way in which people interact online and offline. Individuals who engage in socially unacceptable or outright criminal acts increasingly utilize technology to connect with one another in ways that are not otherwise possible in the real world due to shame, social stigma, or risk of detection. As a consequence, there are now myriad opportunities for wrongdoing and abuse through technology.

This book offers a comprehensive and integrative introduction to cybercrime. It is the first to connect the disparate literature on the various types of cybercrime, the investigation and detection of cybercrime and the role of digital information, and the wider role of technology as a facilitator for social relationships between deviants and criminals. It includes coverage of:

• key theoretical and methodological perspectives,
• computer hacking and digital piracy,
• economic crime and online fraud,
• pornography and online sex crime,
• cyber-bulling and cyber-stalking,
• cyber-terrorism and extremism,
• digital forensic investigation and its legal context,
• cybercrime policy.

This book includes lively and engaging features, such as discussion questions, boxed examples of unique events and key figures in offending, quotes from interviews with active offenders and a full glossary of terms. It is supplemented by a companion website that includes further students exercises and instructor resources. This text is essential reading for courses on cybercrime, cyber-deviancy, digital forensics, cybercrime investigation and the sociology of technology.