Social engineering, privatized/state-funded cyber terrorism & Cyber-crime, Crypto Currencies, financial fraud, economic distrust and inequality  are inevitable consequences of our current socio-political trajectory. Regulatory & compliance agencies struggle to curb these threats, which disproportionately impact non-law enforcement organizations and people, such as small business owners, entrepreneurs, and any other professional with a reliance on a computer to perform a task. Professionals considered to be IT-reliant can be graphic designers, musicians, writers, video editors, managers, accountants, lawyers or any other conceivable permutation of trades which aren’t directly related to the IT field itself but rely upon and are adjacent to the IT Field. The IT-reliant, IT-Adjacent individuals, often outside of large organizations, and sometimes sitting at the heads thereof,  often lack the resources or expertise to diagnose these threats effectively.

In 2023, Shan Hanes, the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank, became caught-up in a cryptocurrency scam referred to as a “pig butchering” scheme. This type of fraud involves scammers building trust with victims through social engineering, utilizing leaked, private information. This kind of fraud usually occurs over a long period of time, and results in the victim losing money due to fake investments in fake opportunities. Cryptocurrency exchanges such as ‘pump.fun’ exist, an actual URL to an actual website that allegedly facilitate “pump and dump” style financial fraud, and other illicit activities via cryptocurrency. The silk road was only the beginning of illicit trade via the internet, in my opinion, as a particularly virulent form of ‘class consciousness’ coalesces in the online space, Black markets for stolen merchandise like bicycles and high-end camera equipment become common place. The infamy that once disincentivized illicit conduct becomes celebrated. Even according to the textbook, the number of network breaches increases every year, reflecting the growing brazenness of cybercriminals. As cybercrime becomes more pervasive, the need for digital forensic professionals becomes increasingly critical. These specialists play a vital role as a deterrent, safeguarding organizations and individuals by becoming a source of accountability, identifying compromised data, finding network intrusions, acknowledging lapses in privacy & reporting their findings to proper compliance organizations. These professionals hone their skills by keeping a finger on the pulse of the underworld.

I chose to study Digital Forensics because it is a field where curiosity and technical expertise can serve as a deterrent. Non-law enforcement organizations need individuals who can act on their behalf, who can diagnose intrusions, respond to incidents and expertly report their findings. For me, It’s somewhat about fighting back; it’s about creating a deterrent for those who believe they can exploit the vulnerable without consequence. These people need to be taught that someone will be holding them accountable for their crimes, because someone willing and capable will investigate the IT infrastructure of the incident in question, and someone will work to identify those perpetrators, Someone who’s job title excludes dispensing forgiveness, someone who is compensated to never forget, Someone who’s job makes pregnant, the expectation of adjudication. That someone is a Digital Forensic Investigator, and while they aren’t always in law enforcement, they are vital to public accountability in the online space. One shouldn’t need to have a position with the SEC or INTERPOL for complaints about pump and dumps to be heard, If Heartland Bank had a proper digital forensic investigator on payroll, perhaps they would still be in business, and don’t even get me started on how little fraud and theft investigations involving computers and the internet are resolved. Once, I received a Fourteen-Hundred Dollar fake cheque for services I had already negotiated and rendered, I reported the fake cheque to the police, found the guy on Facebook, I found pictures, found several associated aliases online, and even found addresses and phone numbers, and yet, I received no resolution and am sure there are others like me. During my time in business, chargebacks were common, duplicate cheques cost us time and effort, network intrusions lowered the value of my work, and even the sweat equity I had invested In the business was subsequently tapped by vultures after closure during the pandemic. There are innumerable technology-oriented perspectives and commentary that can be explored in relation to my time in business, but this paper is already too long. In conclusion, currently, the protections via accountability that the government and its many forms of law enforcement can offer, are inept, making Digital Forensic investigators vital outside of law enforcement due to their ability to investigate incidents and report their findings.

Citations:

• Taylor Herzlich. (2024, August 22). Ex-Kansas bank CEO sentenced to 24 years for embezzling $47M in crypto scheme. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2024/08/22/business/ex-bank-ceo-shan-hanes-sentenced-24-years-for-crypto-scheme/ 
• Barely Sociable. (2020, April 22). The dark side of the Silk Road [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpMP6Nh3FvU
• Rhysider, J. (2025, December 17. Stacc Attack (Episode # 152) [Audio podcast episode]. In Darknet Diaries. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8RNcngdMp4
• Hayes, D. R. (2020). A practical guide to digital forensics investigations (2nd ed.). Pearson IT Certification.
• Kendall, D. (2024). Sociology in our times (12th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.