Cybercrime is one of the greatest threats facing our country, and has enormous implications for our national security, economic prosperity, and public safety. Attorney General Eric Holder has made it one of the Department of Justice's top priorities. The range of threats and the challenges they present for law enforcement expand just as rapidly as technology evolves.

To meet the threats presented by cybercrime, President Obama proposed comprehensive cybersecurity legislation focused on improving cybersecurity for the American people, our nation’s critical infrastructure, and the federal government’s own networks and computers.  The legislative proposal is designed to accomplish many important objectives, including the following: help equip law enforcement to fight cybercrime by updating tools for investigators and prosecutors; make laws technology-neutral, allowing them to adapt to technological changes so that advances in technology will no longer render statutes in the area of cybercrime obsolete; and ensure that federal laws treat online conduct in a manner similar to physical-world conduct.

Success in containing the threats presented by cybercrime will require sustained collaborative efforts by private industry, consumers, and all levels of government. It will require new laws, better technology, and smart prosecutions. U.S. Attorneys play a pivotal role in the prosecution of cybercrime and outreach on cyber issues.  As we hire, train, and equip our prosecutors to meet the challenges this complex threat presents, we will set the framework for a new era in law enforcement.