Technological Crime

The world of technology is a fast-moving, complex environment. Technology is involved in almost every aspect of daily life. As technology advances at an ever-increasing pace, so too does the ability of the criminal element to use technology to further their criminal activities to the detriment of society as a whole. Examples might range from the personal possession of digitized child exploitation images on a home computer to attacks on whole networks of interconnected computers.

As experts in the forensic investigation of computers and networks, the members of the RCMP's Technological Crime fulfil four mandates. They:

• Lead the investigative response on pure computer crime investigations i.e., where the computer and/or its contents are the target of a criminal act;
• Provide specialized technical investigative services including the search, seizure and analysis of digital and electronic evidence relevant to intelligence gathering and criminal investigations;
• Conduct research, development, and validation to produce and deliver investigative tools and utilities for technological crime operations;
• Develop national policy and provide program management services, including research and analysis to identify trends pertaining to the criminal use of technology.

At the request of Public Safety Canada, members of the RCMP’s Technological Crime Program also investigate cyber threats, or criminal activity using computer networks, that may threaten one of Canada’s critical infrastructures, including:

• energy and utilities such as electrical power, natural gas and oil transmission systems; communications such as telecommunications and broadcasting systems
• services such as financial services, food distribution and health care;
• transportation, including air, rail, marine and surface transportation;
• safety such as nuclear safety, search and rescue, and emergency services; and
• government, including major government facilities, information networks and other assets.

The RCMP’s Technological Crime Program is part of Technical Operations. They provide leadership to RCMP investigators working in the Technological Crime Program, by researching forensic techniques for investigating computers and by developing and improving investigative utilities and techniques. In addition, they coordinate requests from international police services and agencies for assistance from Canadian investigators specialized in technological crime.

If you are interested in a career investigating technological crime, please consult our Recruiting web page.

If you are the victim of a technological crime, please see For Those Wanting to Report a Crime .

To protect yourself, your computer and your business, check out the RCMP’s Top 10 Cyber Security Tips .