A North Carolina computer engineer using an anonymous Web site service is linked to a stock hoax in California. Cybersleuths are catching perpetrators of hoaxes and malicious acts on the Internet more quickly, helped by growing cooperation between the online industry and law enforcement agents. People are realizing there's a problem and that we have to work on it together. But even after a string of high-profile takedowns of alleged Web criminals, the security experts championed as the Sam Spades of the digital age are warning about the future.
Computer crime is growing, and smart criminals are avoiding prosecution, they say.
The Melissa virus disrupted and crashed some e-mail and computer netowrks at thousands of companies and government agencies by overloading their systems. Cyberleuth Smith, who works for software company Phar Lap, found clues when he tracked the online postings linked to the suspect. He could have done a much better job of covering his path. The next time this happens it might not be so easy. Perpetrators of cybercrimes have felt safe in the anonymity of cyberspace.