This Project paper will involve an overview of a specific crime that is prevalent in our current technological environment

Government Espionage

   Different governments use cyberattacks to target the computer infrastructure of other states in an attempt to steal critical data present in the computer network (Biju et al., 2019). The government can have its hackers execute the attacks to gain unauthorized entry. Distributed denial of service (DDoS), social engineering attacks, such as baiting and phishing, are the most common cyber technologies used to commit government espionage (Sumi et al., 2019).

Technologies Used to Facilitate Government Espionage

   Government espionage refers to utilizing various individuals (spies) and technologies to obtain sensitive information regarding another nation's government (Shore, 2011). There are different types of espionage, such as economic, industry, and proprietary. Economic espionage refers to the practice of gaining critical information that consists of financial data, trade data, and economic policy implications of a foreign country. Industrial espionage involves information gathering in a specific company, thus acquiring commercial payments and having a competitive edge. Proprietary espionage is the attempt to spy and gather sensitive information that is not found in public domains. The proprietary kind of data has strict protection where the owner makes sure his or her data is not found in a public domain. A simple example of proprietary information includes research and development (R&D) plans set aside for businesses and special plans for emerging technology established in a given country.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS)

   DDoS refers to a malicious attempt that disrupts the normal functioning of the targeted server by completely bringing down the surrounding infrastructure with a large amount of internet traffic (Bendovschi, 2015). The technology is easily achieved when multiple and compromised computer systems are well utilized. Some other resources that can be easily get compromised are networked resources like IoT devices.

How Does DDoS Technology Work? DDoS is executed easily when the available computers are connected over the same internet and network (Biju et al., 2019). The type of networks established here comprises different computers and other devices known to be infected with the malware. It gives room to a hacker to completely and fully control them. Some of these devices that play these roles include bots. When a botnet is fully developed and created, the system hacker can direct the attack by sending the remotes guidelines and instructions to every bot that may be present. When the botnet targets servers from the targeted foreign country, every bot created is mandated to send the I.P. address of the target. When this is done, the network gets overwhelmed, leading to a denial of service to ordinary traffic. When this is done, an intruder can fetch out and spy very useful information of a foreign country that might be using the compromised server.

Social Engineering Attacks

   Social engineering attacks are the broad term used to facilitate various malicious activities completed through human interactions (Koyun & Janabi, 2017). The social engineering technique utilizes psychological manipulation in tricking users, thereby making cybersecurity mistakes and disclosing their sensitive and meaningful information stored by the government. In many circumstances, social engineering attacks originate and work in many forms. It can be executed anywhere where human interaction is practiced. The following are the most used forms of social engineering.

Baiting: This kind of attack utilizes fake promises, which helps the attacker pique the victim's curiosity. Hackers tend to lure different government data experts into a trap that allows them to spy and steal their relevant data (Sumi et al., 2019). The attacker may also decide to inflict another government's systems with malware, thus destroying their data.

Pretexting: During this process, an attacker can create lies, spy, and obtain essential information from the targeted person or government (Koyun & Janabi, 2017). The process starts when the perpetrator convinces the victim that he or she needs sensitive information to execute a critical task in the organization. In pretexting process, the attacker starts his process by winning trust from the victim. It is done by impersonating the government workers. The pretexted has a responsibility to ask very meaningful questions that the victim's identity is confirmed when answered correctly. From the asked questions, an attacker can collect very meaningful data from the conversation.

Phishing: Phishing can also be performed during the social engineering process. In order to commit government espionage in another foreign country and acquire critical information, phishing is the most preferred social engineering attack technique to use (Biju et al., 2019). Phishing comprises sending scam emails and links to create a sense of urgency and curiosity in victims. When one opens, the malicious link sent, click the malicious website sent, very sensitive information and data will be revealed.

When social engineering techniques are implemented, government espionage crimes can easily be committed. Hackers can easily utilize social engineering forms to spy on sensitive information from other foreign countries. The information being spied may be about international business to be carried out by other countries, the information about the government's military services, and other information that may be meaningful to the victim country. Social engineering technology is the best for committing this crime.

Benefits of Government Espionage

   Espionage crimes are of importance to states. It helps acquire sensitive information of another state, government, or country that gives the perpetrator an advantage in the global market and trade warfare front (Bendovschi, 2015). For instance, when the U.S. needs information concerning China, the government may hire computer experts. These experts utilize either DDoS technology or social engineering forms to spy and acquire the information it may need. Assuming the country is at war with another country, one state will be able to apply espionage, hack into the opponent's vital information and get to understand their plans. It makes espionage crime more useful on one side and more harmful on the other side since it leads to the revelation of secrets, such are trade and security secrets (Edelman, 2011). One country can reveal its secret to the opponent, thus leading to a data breach which makes the opponent defeat them if it is war issue. A country like China will lose against the U.S. since their information about their plans would have been stolen.

It creates employment when done ethically (Jalil, 2020). Espionage as a crime results in job development since its needs people who are experts for it. Spying has never been easy as in the current technological world. Espionage has created jobs for computer experts. Currently, for one to hack into or spy into another company's organizations or government's system, he or she should have enough skills. Since skills are needed, these experts have to be paid for them to work. Some more experienced computer system hackers are being paid to commit these crimes. Government espionage has greatly increased the number of professions around the globe. Cybersecurity solutions are being built on almost a daily basis. Security experts are creating and developing models to curb daily insecurity issues. Due to these challenges, to get a person who is well-equipped and can commit espionage crimes, companies are authorized to pay him a huge amount of money. And because of this, it can be noted that crimes have led to job creation.

Effects of Government Espionage on Victim or Corporation

   When the government's information gets spied and stolen, both the victim and the corporations get affected. In situations where the government has stored vital information such as candidates' electoral votes, computer hackers may spy on the system and penetrate it when the primary keys for penetration are identified. This system penetration may lead to altering the stored and recorded votes. It may lead to a lot of damage to the data stored. Many people will have to lose their votes. The government may end up conducting another election, thus, wasting resources. The government may proceed in executing another election, therefore, making sure the election is free and fair. On the other side, corporations may experience poor competition in the market when data spying occurs. Some other competing companies may end up executing an espionage act on their rivals; thus being able to recognize their plans and strategies put in place for them to be highly competitive in the market. When this sensitive information is disclosed, the rival company may steal them and implement them as fast as possible, thus taking over the market, thus causing havoc to the company that developed those strategies. It lowers the organization's returns.

Effects of Government Espionage on Society as a Whole

   Society as a whole gets affected by espionage. When government information gets spied by unknown groups, if the government's sensitive information is stolen, society is affected. For instance, terrorist groups may spy on the military information of a country like China (Bagchi & Paul, 2017). When terrorists manage to get out with this data regarding China's military weapons, regions with loose and tight security may target regions where security is not tight. It affects China's society as a whole, thus negatively impacting their lives. Most people in the country will lose their lives. Some people will have to move to other parts of China that are well secured, thus causing overpopulation in some regions.

Prevention of Government Espionage Crime by Law Enforcement

   Fines as significant figures of measurement have been developed and put in place to curb such cybercrime activities. A certain figure has been established and set aside to take care of these crimes. In addition to fines, the law enforcement bodies have also formulated lengthy jail terms where espionage criminals can be jailed for a specific term depending on the crime committed (Fidler, 2013). The United States addresses cybersecurity issues through general regulation and private sector involvement. When it reaches national or federal levels, cybersecurity issues are prevented and handled in a systematic approach. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the body that enforces cybersecurity laws by prohibiting unfair and deceptive practices. In the United States, different laws under major U.S. federal cybersecurity laws have been developed. The developed laws have greatly been enforced, thus curbing any cybersecurity crimes that may be available.

Levels at which Government Espionage is Prosecuted Local, Federal, or both in the U.S.

According to the United States, different espionage laws have been formulated to help curb the rising insecurity risks. Prosecutors of the U.S. must prove and verify some elements concerning espionage before prosecuting the criminal when found guilt (Stone, 2003). Espionage crimes are displayed as local if the criminal shares sensitive information about the U.S. with the residents of the U.S. One may decide to spy on information about the U.S. military and decide to share the information with the U.S. individual within the united states. This kind of data spying is called espionage which is at a local level. With this kind of practice, the prosecutor will classify the espionage crime committed as local, thus ruling it under local levels. Federal level in government espionage can be achieved when one decides to spy information concerning U.S. defense forces and discloses it to its enemies from foreign countries. When such crime is committed, it is classified under federal levels. In the U.S., such federal crimes have server punishment depending on the kind of information spied or shared. Some people in the U.S. are jailed for ten, five, and more years in jail. The crime is prosecuted as federal and local when the perpetrator shares information with both U.S. residents and enemies from other foreign countries (federal).

The Law that Prosecutes Government Espionage Crime in the U.S.

   Espionage Act is the law developed as early as 1917 to help curb espionage crime in the U.S. According to this law, individuals who commit crimes related to espionage are all prosecuted (Stone, 2003). The Act forbids sharing of military or defense information of the U.S. to its rival countries. Illegal spying of government information is prohibited, and more policies have been put in place to avoid espionage crimes. The Espionage Act of 1996, signed by President Clinton, punishes intentional trade secret misappropriation. Under the Act, an individual is guilty if he or she; steals, or without authorization, carries, takes, or by deceit gets a trade secret (Stone, 2003).

Improvements set to prevent government espionage cybercrime at society, law enforcement, or individual level

   At the societal level, government espionage crime can be prevented when people talk to their children regarding internet issues. Parents should educate their children about proper ways of using the internet without hacking into other people's information (Feuer, 2015). Children should be advised and instructed not to try spying on any information related to the government or the country's defense forces. Experts in charge of vital government information should be aware of any harmful or malicious links that spy on their information. Cybersecurity awareness should be carried out throughout the whole country to enlighten different organizations, the government included. The awareness should entail various security measures used to protect data from attack. Some of the cybersecurity measures that the government should be aware of include strengthening its network. Strong encryption should. In addition to this, a virtual private network should also be implemented to help protect the traffic quitting the connected devices until it reaches its destination. In this state, if cybercriminals want to spy and share stored and protected information, they will only intercept the encrypted data. Society should be aware of security measures as they help them in protecting their data, information, and devices connected over a specific network.

At the law enforcement level, some adjustments have to be made regarding espionage crime to improve and prevent this type of crime. In the case of local crimes committed, individuals should also be punished severely, thus creating fear in them (Feuer, 2015). For the situation where an individual has committed an espionage crime where he has spied on a shared the government's information locally, an individual is supposed to be jailed for a given term depending on the damage caused. Assuming children have been caught spying and sharing sensitive information of the government to both local and foreign individuals, huge fines should be imposed on them despite them being children. Failure to pay fines should be punished by being jailed for some terms that match the crime committed. Laws enforced to curb espionage should also be revised regularly to give room for amendments in any change. New laws should be developed to replace the old rules regarding cybercrimes. Both parents, individuals and the government should help each other reinforce the cybercrime policies, thus reducing high rates of espionage.

At the individual level, cybersecurity policies should be fully practiced and followed (Fidler, 2013). Some of the policies that an individual should follow include inputting strong and long passwords to protect both public and personal information and taking the right measures which protect one from theft. Individuals should take care of being involved in data fraud and deception, typically for economic gain. One might be tricked into giving the government's information to foreign countries, thus causing harm to the country of residence. Avoiding issues like this helps prevent government espionage.

References

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