RIYADH: Most online criminals are young, aged between 14 and 38, and are motivated by psychological and financial reasons into committing cybercrime, said Mansour Al-Juhani, professor at the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences.
Al-Juhani made the statement on Monday during the opening of a three-day conference on combating cybercrime.
The event has been organized by the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIPP) in cooperation with Naif Arab University for Security Sciences. The first session, chaired by Ibrahim bin Ali Dakheel, started at 9 a.m.
Al-Juhani said perpetrators are individuals with excellent IT skills with particular expertise in dealing with computer networks. He added that they are, however, not violent. In his presentation, Nasser Al-Mashari said that online criminals can commit their crimes in a matter of minutes sitting at home.
As many as 25 experts representing 14 countries will present various papers on combating cybercrime during the forum. Academics from GCC countries, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, US, Britain, France, and Pakistan will discuss various issues in nine sessions during which a number of workshops will also take place. The conference will also discuss contemporary cyber crime, its occurrence in the Arab world, experts’ opinions on the issue and how they can positively interact with each other.
The second session started at 10 a.m. Maj. Yahya Abu Magayd discussed strategic dimensions in the face of computer-related crimes, and Dr. Fahd bin Muhayya talked about ID theft. The session was presided over by Maj. Gen. Dr. Mohamed Al-Sarra.
The third session started at 11:30 a.m. with Soroor Al-Abdulwahab talking about “Investigation and Prosecution Informatics Crimes” and Col. Ahmed Al-Kafawin discussing “Investigating Procedures for Cybercrime.”
Mohamed Al-Omran, head of the money fraud cases department at the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution, presided over the last session. A workshop entitled “Investigation Procedures Obstacles for Cybercrime” was held in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The forum is mainly designed for executives, personnel from investigation and public prosecution bodies in GCC countries, GCC ministries of interior, judges, ombudsmen, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC), the Institute of Management, the National Information Center and the Institute of King Abdullah Research and Studies.
— With input from Rodolfo Estimo Jr.
