Investigating the Legitimate and Illegitimate Uses of Anonymous Technologies

This assignment addresses the following learning outcomes from the module syllabus:

• Critically evaluate methods and techniques used for cybercrime.
• Investigate, summarise and review emerging technologies and their use in cybercrime.
• Discuss cybercrime topics and implications from a multidisciplinary/multi-viewpoint perspective.

Anonymous technologies, the same way as other technologies, can be used for legitimate and illegitimate purposes.

You may choose to investigate one specific class of anonymous technology (e.g., anonymous web browsing, anonymous P2P communication, anonymous emailing service, anonymous content distribution), one specific technique

(i) how the chosen class, technique, or application works. Use references to provide deeper explanations and definitions.

(ii) Discuss how the chosen class, technique, or application has been used by Internet users for legitimate purposes.

(iii) Discuss how the chosen class, technique, or application has been used by cybercriminals (illegitimate purposes).

(iv) Discuss and critically evaluate which measures can be adopted against the chosen anonymous technology used by cybercriminals.

(v) Critically evaluate and discuss the literature, rather than simply regurgitating what you have read.

You have to interpret, reflect and be critical about what you read and about the sources you actually use.

(vi) Contrast and compare the legitimate and illegitimate viewpoints (usages) of the chosen anonymous technology.

(vii) Use in-text citations where neccessary, which should be in Harvard style.