PUBPOL 3290

Cybercrime

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring societal, business, financial, technological, ethical, and policy implications of technology-related crimes. We examine crimes against individuals, businesses, governments, and threats to public safety and national security. Questions explored include: What is cybercrime? Who commits cybercrime and why? Are Deep Fakes a real threat? Is there "actual" crime in "virtual" reality? What tools and techniques are used to enable and prevent cybercrime? What impact does cybercrime have on business, and how can businesses detect, prevent, and communicate regarding, internal and external cybercrime threats? When are business leaders liable for failing to prevent cyber-attacks? What is the right balance between online privacy and security, free speech and protection from harassment/abuse, anonymity and transparency? How are international cybercrimes investigated and prosecuted? What is the impact of AI and machine learning on cybercrime? What are the considerations for sentencing cybercriminals? Do current laws provide the right amount of protection, or are new laws and policies needed as technology changes? Who should decide these questions and how?

When Offered Spring.

Distribution Category (KCM-HE, SBA-HE)

• Demonstrate an understanding of various types of cybercrime, including traditional crimes using technology as a tool (i.e., theft, fraud, crimes against persons), as well as crimes targeting technology as the means of attack (i.e., ransomware, system outages, etc.)
• Evaluate policies, standards, regulations, and laws that seek to identify, investigate and address cybercrime.
• Assess challenges and techniques related to investigating and prosecuting cybercrime, including policy implications related to privacy, human rights, and security concerns.
• Analyze benefits and issues regarding public-private collaboration in the U.S. and internationally to address cybercrime.
• Examine emerging cybercrime threats, and policy implications, related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), the Internet of Things (IoT), deepfakes, and digital currencies (crypto).

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