Technology & Digital Applications Flashcards

An agent needs to obtain real-time location data from a suspect's cell phone. Which legal authority is typically required?

Answer: A warrant supported by probable cause following Carpenter v. United States

The Supreme Court's Carpenter v. United States (2018) ruling requires a warrant to obtain historical or real-time cell-site location information.

Which type of malware specifically encrypts a victim's files and demands payment, often in cryptocurrency, for the decryption key?

Answer: Ransomware

Ransomware encrypts victim data and extorts payment, typically in cryptocurrency to complicate law enforcement tracing.

When analyzing dark web markets in a financial crimes investigation, what tool do investigators typically use to access .onion sites?

Answer: The Tor Browser, which routes traffic through anonymizing relays

The Tor Browser is required to access .onion addresses on the dark web, as it routes connections through multiple encrypted relays.

A Treasury agent seizes digital evidence from a cloud storage account. Which principle ensures the evidence will be admissible and defensible in court?

Answer: Maintaining a documented chain of custody from collection through presentation

Chain of custody documentation tracks who handled evidence, when, and how, which is essential for admissibility and defending against challenges.

In cryptocurrency investigations, what is a 'mixer' or 'tumbler' and why is it significant?

Answer: A service that blends multiple users' cryptocurrency to obscure transaction trails

Mixers/tumblers combine funds from multiple users to break the transaction trail on the blockchain, making them a common money laundering tool.

Which federal law criminalizes unauthorized access to computer systems and is frequently used in Treasury-related cybercrime investigations?

Answer: The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)

The CFAA is the primary federal statute addressing unauthorized computer access and is used in prosecuting cybercrime and financial system intrusions.

What is 'phishing' in the context of financial cybercrime, and how does it typically enable fraud?

Answer: Deceiving individuals into revealing credentials via fraudulent emails or websites to gain account access

Phishing uses deceptive communications to trick victims into surrendering login credentials, enabling fraudulent account access and fund transfers.