Massachusetts Hosts Cybercrime Training for Law Enforcement Across State

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, in collaboration with Microsoft Corporation, hosted a cyber crime training session for Massachusetts law enforcement. The day-long training, held last Thursday, entitled "Cyber Crimes 101," was attended by more than 300 law enforcement officers from across the state.


The training of law enforcement is one of several key priorities highlighted in "The Massachusetts Strategic Plan for Cyber Crime" developed as part of Attorney General Coakley's Cyber Crime Initiative. The plan was designed in order to help the commonwealth develop a statewide capacity to prevent, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime. Yesterday's training was the first step in meeting one of several key priorities established in the Strategic Plan.

"Law enforcement across the Commonwealth must have the tools and skills necessary to recognize and investigate crimes with a digital component," said Coakley. "This training was an opportunity for law enforcement to learn about how digital evidence is created and can be found. This was a great first step in providing law enforcement with training so that it can take advantage of the latest technologies to prevent and investigate a broad range of crimes. It is also the beginning of our goals and efforts to provide enhanced information sharing opportunities for law enforcement," Coakley continued.

"Public-private partnerships are at the heart of Microsoft's commitment to Internet safety," said Nancy Anderson, Microsoft Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. "We are honored to be part of Attorney General Coakley's Cyber Crime Initiative to help create a safer and more secure online experience."

Following opening remarks from Attorney General Coakley, Microsoft staff presented several sessions designed to help law enforcement officers transfer traditional investigative techniques to the technological sphere. Topics discussed during the training included trends in Internet crimes and investigations, as well as methods used to investigate Web sites, domain names, IP addresses, e-mail messages, and chat and instant messages. Presenters also discussed methods of examining Internet/PC forensics and an overview of digital evidence processing and interpretation.

In the Strategic Plan, the Attorney General's Office takes a broad view of cyber crime, defining it to include both crimes facilitated by computers and those involving digital evidence. The Plan outlines six key priorities, as well as specific goals and actions to meet each priority. The priorities are:

• Deliver law enforcement training
• Support and enhance cyber crime prevention and information sharing activities
• Develop and promote common operating procedures and standards
• Examine statewide digital forensic evidence processing requirements
• Secure funding for cyber crime programs
• Amend jurisdictional and substantive law
  

Additionally, the Attorney General's Office recently received a grant to further its work on law enforcement information sharing in the area of cybercrime. The $202,679 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will be used to develop a sustainable cyber crime information sharing program for law enforcement across the Commonwealth.

Over 300 law enforcement officers from both the State Police and numerous local police departments, including college and university police departments, attended the training.