Arab American University hosted an awareness lecture titled “Electronic Crimes Types and How to Handle Them”, organized by Al-Hadath Palestinian Newspaper. It aims to present the mechanisms students can use with the different electronic crimes types.
The seminar was attended by Dean of Faculty of Arts at the Arab American University Dr. Marwan Abu Al-Rub, Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Loay Irziqat, Eng. Mohammad Masoud of the Police Electronic Crimes Unit, Head of Training Department at Al-Istiqlal University Dr. Yasser Abdullah, the Arab American University lecturer at Arabic Language and Media Department Dr. Mahmoud Khallouf, university social counselor Ms. Laila Herzallah, representatives of Jenin and Tubas police departments, and a number of the teaching and administrative bodies members.
Dean of AAUJ Faculty of Arts Dr. Abu Al-Rob started the session, moderated by Al-Hadath Newspaper reporter Reem Abu-Laban, welcoming the attendees and stressed on the session important as it addresses a topic related to everyone especially students. He invited them to engage in it because anyone might exposed to an electronic crime affecting his life.
For his part, spokesman for the police Lieutenant Colonel Loay Irziqat said that electronic crime is increasing. Noting, in 2015, police recorded 502 cases, while in 2016 registered 1327 cases, and this year has recorded 1800 cases. He stressed that the main reason is recklessness and lack of experience in dealing with electronics, explaining that it is possible for electronic crimes to develop into other crimes like theft, murder, burglary, projection or other crimes.
He indicated, the larger number of victims are females with a rate of %38, the rest are males, organizations, and figures. Stressing, both males and females can be cybercrimes victims. Then he mentioned the police’s cybercrimes control unit and its work mechanism and calling each victim to contact the police who will handle the problem with confidentiality.
As for the Head of Training Department at Al-Istiqlal University Dr. Yasser Abdallah, he mentioned the cybercrimes types and that its done mostly by teens, hackers, the Israeli espionage unite and others. Also mentioned that statistically %60 of the Palestinians use social media and the internet. Pointing, nowadays there is over two million users compared to 2011 with only 750 thousand.
Dr. Abdallah focused on the Israeli espionage unit 8200, pointing it is an Israeli military intelligence agency, whose mission is to monitor what is published on the Internet especially social networks. Pointing one of its functions is security projection/ recruiting spies.
Eng. Mohammad Masoud from the Police Cyber Crimes unit mentioned the mechanism of immunization one’s own safety, social media accounts, and email. Pointing that penetration of accounts and smart devices is quite easy and everyone must know how to protect themselves or at least enhance their devices and personal accounts security. Stressing that publishing any information, whether public or personal could lead to penetration.
In turn, the lecturer at the Arab American University Department of Arabic Language and Media Dr. Mahmoud Khlouf mentioned the recently issued Electronic Crimes Law, expressing his objection to some of the provisions it contains. Noting, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate sent a letter to the President of State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas to stop applying the law. He added the law has some positive aspects, but the negatives overshadowed these especially since the law has become pointed to journalists’ necks and judging them for every word they publishes on the Internet especially on social networking sites. Stressing on standing in the face of blackmail and immoral work, calling to change some of the Electronic Crimes Code provisions.
The lecture included a short movie by the police on what’s blackmailing and mechanism to contact Police when an electronic crime occurs and there was a Q&A session.
