Features of Combating Cybercrimes in the United States of America

Abstract

This article defines the features of combating cybercrime in the United States of America. The relevant US agencies involved in the fight against cybercrime have been identified, which include: the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (the lead agency), the US Department of Household Security, which includes the US Secret Service and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. An important role in countering and combating cybercrime in the United States is played by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - a central point through which victims of Internet crime can report and notify the appropriate authorities of suspicion of criminal activity on the Internet.

The US Secret Service has e-crime task forces that focus on identifying and finding international cybercriminals associated with cyber intrusions, bank fraud, data breaches, and other computer crimes. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Center provides computer technical services to support domestic and international cross-border crime investigations.

The National Infrastructure Protection Center was given a national critical infrastructure protection mission that includes: detecting, assessing, warning of and investigating significant threats and incidents concerning US critical infrastructures. It is an interagency center physically located within the Counterterrorism Division at FBI headquarters.

The FBI in conjunction with the center created the National Infrastructure Protection and Computer Intrusion Program as an investigative program within the Counterterrorism Division. Also, the article focuses on the "hybrid" squads formed by a number of FBI field offices which combine National Infrastructure Protection and Computer Intrusion Program, cart, white collar crime, violent crime, and organized crime/drug trafficking resources and investigators on one squad to address cyber crime matters.

Also, the importance of the cooperation of the FBI in the fight against cybercrime with the private sector was noted. Focus groups are being formed with the private sector to develop long term working relationships which aid in identifying cyber crime problems and the impact they have on their businesses as well as the formation of proactive strategies to address the threats.

The cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the context of combating cybercrime was noted. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has provided direct support to its Ukrainian national security and law enforcement partners, including briefing Ukrainian partners on Russian intelligence services’ cyber operations.

The cooperation between the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of US Department of Homeland Security was noted. Attention was also paid to the Framework Agreement on the Strategic Foundations of Defense Partnership signed by the Ministers of Defense of Ukraine and the United States which allows developing cooperation in the areas of cyber defense and development of cyber troops, protection of critical information infrastructure. This cooperation in the field of cyber defense pursues the goal of deterring harmful cyber activities against national security systems, the development of medical capabilities, and cooperation in the field of countering disinformation.

Relevant proposals for improving the fight against cybercrime in Ukraine are presented. In particular, on the creation in Ukraine of a special website for reporting cybercrime - Internet Crime Complaint Center following the example of the American center - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3); using the experience of the United States in terms of creating «hybrid» squads for countering and combating cybercrime; creation of focus groups of national law enforcement agencies with the private sector to address the problems of cybercrime in Ukraine.