Illegal Cyber Technology May Cmrj524 Apus Wk 3 Ef

INSTRUCTIONS: This can be an opinion, follow-up question, discussion, remark, argument, or agreement about what was stated. Remember to stay professional in your postings. You are free to disagree or agree with something that someone has said, but you must clearly show why. Discuss how you feel their postings relate or are different from your own. Feel free to debate points, and hold a discussion!

Note: Each participation response should be a “minimum” of 300 words each (does not count references and or restating what a classmate said) and include “at least” one properly referenced source each (in accordance with APA 6th edition), for full credit. Please see the syllabus for what constitutes a “substantive” participation response.

Respond to Michael:

The word “mafia” ushers in a stereotypical mental and physical representation of a criminal organization. The classical depiction of these groups often carries ethnic, regional, and organizational assumptions based on popular media and education. The Italian mafia groups Cosa Nostra and the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta are no exception to this rule. Entrenched in Italian culture and regionally affiliated, Cosa Nostra and ‘Ndrangheta occupy a defined hierarchy of old mafia culture and practice. However, while these groups maintain many of the classical features of the mafia stereotype, a new wave of technological and cyber innovation is opening new avenues for financial and criminal enterprise.

The 5G is described as a revolution rather than an evolution. The concern for many, law enforcement, intelligence, and Organized Crime (OC) groups, is that 5G is currently uncontrollable and ungovernable (BBC, 2019).For groups like ‘Ndrangheta and Cosa Nostra, control is central to their survival.Cosa Nostra, an infamous Italian mafia organization, is the case study for classic “mafia style” behavior.An ethnic and regionally affiliated organization, strong central control structure, and predictable behavior enforcement patterns like violence, intimidation, and private security are indicative of the Cosa Nostra framework (Varese, 2006).’Ndrangheta is considered a new era of Italian mafia organization, utilizing a networked and cellular approach to thwart law enforcement and expand criminal enterprise abroad (Sarno, 2014).

The issue at hand is, at its core, the collision of the old world and the new. The old world mafia organization is largely based on outdated public perceptions and distant from reality. Many of these perceptions are based on stereotypes that do not reflect the international and multi-faceted nature of 21st-century mafia enterprise. For example, ‘Ndrangheta, a Calabrian-based mafia organization, has a cellular network that resembles international definitions of transnational criminal and terrorist operations (Kostakos, 2018). Italian mafia groups are generally described as arising from a region or government’s inability to provide basic services and safety. Mafia groups, loosely organized by family and community, grew in power through providing security, finance, and stability through criminal enterprise (Kostakos, 2018).

The digital and cyber revolutions are a global experience. Law enforcement and OC groups undergo changes with similar results as other economic, political, social, military, and infrastructure systems. The key question for Cosa Nostra and ‘Ndrangheta in this process is how traditional and new-age mafia enterprise will cope with unprecedented technological change? Especially considering the civilian infrastructure within which the base of these groups operate; Italy is notoriously bad for civilian infrastructure. Some of which the mafia is to blame for (The Guardian, 2018).

The concept of the 5G revolution as it pertains to mafia organizations and law enforcement is only now beginning to be discussed. The 2018 Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) report stated that the upgrade of civilian infrastructure to 5G networks will make it difficult to track cybercriminals. With a greater emphasis placed on individual security, 5G networks facilitate anonymous digital footprints and legally do not allow law enforcement and government collection (Business World, 2018). The specific Italian infrastructure environment brings in downstream considerations as well. As the government and mafia continue to pursue infrastructure upgrades, the acquisition of legal and illegal cyber technology may create future problems. The primary example here is Chinese technology, which has the danger of built-in backdoors and criminal licensing (BBC, 2019).

As an encrypted system, criminal organizations are jumping at the opportunity to adapt their financial and criminal enterprise. In many instances, cybercrime is the safest, easiest, and most profitable market for criminal activity. This is especially true in the ungoverned transitional areas of the 5G networks where law enforcement and intelligence services have yet to figure out how to moderate (O’Mara, 2018). The key conclusion that may be made from the above evidence is that Cosa Nostra and ‘Ndrangheta are likely attempting to ride the wave of 5G revolution. Much like any other OC group or terrorist organization, their ability to adapt and accept change will influence the process. Traditional mafia enterprises like personal and business protection rackets, drug smuggling, and international communications will all be affected. How 5G will incorporate itself into the mafia culture once the dust settles has yet to be seen.

I will mention some personal experiences pertaining to this issue. I deployed in support of a joint task force that worked to bolster partner nations and their ability to secure their borders and combat transnational criminal elements and terrorist organizations. The overall goal was to increase the ability of a “tier 2” nation on the UN human rights index, to address crisis situations should they arise. There are ungoverned spaces, even in places that we call Europe. Mafia facilitated criminal activity moves people, drugs, and material through the Balkans and North Africa. The next ungoverned area these mafia groups will likely exploit is un-attributed or “misattributed” cyberspace.

-Mike

References:

5G and GDPR can be Boon to Cyber Criminals: GlobalData. (2018, October 11). Business World. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/2121867029/

Italian intelligence official briefs MPs on 5G risks. (2019, June 23). BBC Monitoring European. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/2244983108/

Kostakos, Panos. “Public Perceptions on Organised Crime, Mafia, and Terrorism: A Big Data Analysis Based on Twitter and Google Trends.” International Journal of Cyber Criminology 12.1 (2018): 282–299.

O’Mara, A. (2018, March 23). Understanding the new cyber crime mafia. Channel Pro. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/2017235784/

Sarno, F. (2014). Italian mafias in europe: Between perception and reality. A comparison of press articles in spain, germany and the netherlands. Trends in Organized Crime, 17(4), 313-341. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy2.apus.edu/10.1007/s12117…

Tondo, L. (2018). Italy’s crumbling infrastructure under scrutiny after bridge collapse. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/17/ital…

Varese, F. (2006). How mafias migrate: The case of the ‘ndrangheta in northern italy. Law & Society Review, 40(2), 411-444. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy2.apus.edu/10.1111/j.1540…

Forum Rubric

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Citations (Possible 10 points)	Zero points: Student failed to include citations and/or references	4 points: Citations of reference sources exist; citations apparently correspond to the correct source but do not enable the reader to locate the source. APA 6th edition format not evident.	6 points: Attempts to cite reference sources are made, but the reader has difficulty finding the sources; attempts to use APA 6th edition format are evident but poorly executed	8 points: Reference sources are cited as necessary, but some components of the citations are missing and/or APA 6th edition format is faulty in some respects.	10 points: Reference sources relied on by the student are cited appropriately and accurately. No writing of others is left without quotation and/or attribution, as appropriate. APA 6th edition format is used correctly and consistently.