CCJS 390: Cybercrime and Security

CCJS 390 at the University of Maryland Global Campus examines crimes committed with or against computers, and how the law and security practice respond.

UMGC's catalog describes an examination of crimes involving the use of computers, with topics including federal and state laws and the investigative and preventive methods used to secure computers. Case studies emphasize security. The course was formerly CCJS 496, and credit is allowed for only one of CCJS 390, CCJS 496 or CCJS 498C.

CCJS 390 appears in UMGC's 2023-2024 catalog but not in the current 2026-2027 catalog, so confirm its place in your plan with an advisor. The subject matter below applies to any remaining sections and to related study.

What CCJS 390 Covers

• Types of computer crime: unauthorised access, malware, fraud, identity theft and online exploitation.
• Federal law: statutes such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and laws on electronic communications.
• State law: how states define and punish computer crimes, which varies widely.
• Investigative methods: tracing activity, preserving digital evidence and working across jurisdictions.
• Preventive methods: technical, administrative and physical controls that secure systems.

Key Concepts Explained

Computer as Target, Tool or Storage

A common way to classify cybercrime is by the computer's role: the target of the attack (such as hacking a server), the tool used to commit a traditional crime (such as online fraud), or simply where evidence is stored. Classifying correctly helps you pick the right law.

Jurisdiction

Victims, offenders and servers can sit in different states or countries, which complicates investigation and prosecution. Expect to discuss cooperation between agencies.

Defense in Depth

Layered security, combining technical controls, policies and training, reduces the chance that one failure leads to a breach.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

Writing the Security Lessons

Because UMGC's case studies emphasize security, the prevention section often carries as much weight as the legal analysis. Avoid generic advice such as "use strong passwords". Tie each recommendation to a specific failure in the case.

A clear format is: what went wrong, the control that addresses it, who is responsible, and how success would be measured. That turns a list of tips into a security recommendation a manager could act on.

How Cybercrime Is Investigated

The course covers investigative methods as well as prevention. Cyber investigations typically involve preserving logs and devices quickly, tracing accounts or addresses through legal requests to service providers, and coordinating with other agencies when offenders are elsewhere.

In case analyses, describe the investigative steps in order and note the legal process each needs. Timing matters: digital traces can be overwritten or deleted, so preservation usually comes first.

Where Students Get Stuck

• Naming the wrong law. Check which statute fits the conduct and the jurisdiction.
• Technical overload. Explain technical points only as far as the legal or security argument needs.
• Generic prevention advice. Link every control to the case facts.
• Outdated sources. Laws and threats change; use current official sources.

Study Tips for CCJS 390

• Keep a table of key federal statutes with what each prohibits.
• Classify every case you read as target, tool or storage.
• Follow official advisories from government cybersecurity agencies for current examples.
• Practice writing one-paragraph prevention recommendations.

How We Help with CCJS 390

Send the case study, prompt, rubric and feedback. A tutor with cybersecurity and criminal justice knowledge explains the law, reviews your draft or prepares a custom analysis to study. See our criminal justice assignment help guide for related support.

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