Student Connections Conference 2014: investigating cybercrime

This a live event featuring faculty academics, staff tutors, Library Services support staff and students investigating cybercrime online as part of the Student Connections Conference 2014.  This investigation into the psychological motivations and economic and political consequences of cybercrime today was commissioned by the Editorial team of Podmag.

The event takes the form of 4 sessions each investigating a particular aspect of cybercrime and skills needed to be effective in working, living and studying online. To find out more about these sessions and the conference visit http://connections.kmi.open.ac.uk/

Episode 1, Monday, 30th June, 2pm - The Crime, introducing the news team, Jeanette Pinkerton the victim, and Phishy Fingers, the master cybercriminal

Episode 2, Tuesday,1st July, 2pm - Profiling the cybercriminal and the role of digital forensics, introducing Heidi Klein a home office forensic psychologist

Episode 3, Wednesday, 2nd July, 2pm - The economic and political consequences, introducing Shabnam Karim, the Met Office Police Commissioner and Enriques Salvador, the Chief of Interpol

Episode 4, Thursday 3rd July, 2pm - Why developing 'digital and information literacy skills' are key to living, working, and studying in a digital world.  An interview with two key Digital and Information Literary specialists Katharine Reedy and Alison Powell who discuss how using these skills were key to the activities highlighted in the episodes and protecting your online identity.

The key characters in this event are purely fictional and developed for dramatic effect.  However, they are based on real case studies, content, and resources available online.  The scenarios acted out are based on increasingly familiar events and have been developed to highlight the need we all have to develop effective digital and information literacy skills to keep yourselves savvy and alert to protecting our identity and exploiting and evaluating reliable information online.

The 'Fictional' and 'Real' Personas you will meet online:

Alistair Smith - News Anchor-person 1
Jeanette Pinkerton - News Anchor-person 2
Sue Prytherch-Jenkins - cybercrime victim
Phishy Fingers - the master cybercriminal
Heidi Klein - forensic psychologist
Shabnam Karim - Met Office Police Commissioner
Enriques Salvador - Chief of Interpol