Considering the constant menace of spyware, law enforcement officials have greatly applied statutes - some long-standing, some relatively new - to spyware cases, and to aim at the tactics of malevolent spyware distributors..



The Department of Justice has actively pursued spyware purveyors under the CFAA and the Wiretap Act, with 11 cases to date. With a moderately meager investment in consumer technical training and outreach, states can add towards diversifying and broadening the pool of law enforcement officials who are actively fighting the spyware menace.



CDT supports more states to join in with the following steps:



(1) Establish consumer complaint Web sites where computer users can submit complaints about suspected spyware.



(2) Establish or support computer forensic capabilities so that consumer protection enforcement agencies can investigate and verify complaints of spyware and trace responsibility.



(3) Train investigators and prosecutors in identifying the attributes of spyware that violate existing laws.



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