Engineers make cyber-networks more secure by serving as the network’s core. They are the ones on the front lines, keeping an eye out for any unusual behavior on the network itself. They are in charge of ensuring that no one gains backdoor access through a soft spot in a firewall, monitoring the network to ensure that it is functioning properly, and uncovering vulnerabilities through rigorous testing to ensure that the network as a whole is performing optimally. They are also running software that ensures information is encrypted and cannot be accessed, performing penetration testing, and installing new products and protocols to help make the network more secure. They are continually scrutinizing the network to ensure that everything is functioning as smoothly as possible. If there is a weakness or the potential for weakness, they must know how to respond quickly and efficiently, or how to avoid the weakness entirely.

Cybercrime is the crime of engaging in behavior that a society has prohibited because it threatens social order. Criminal justice refers to illegal activities committed without defense or explanation in violation of the criminal law and sanctioned by the state as a felony or misdemeanor. There is undoubtedly some overlap between criminal justice and cybercrime, as technology plays a significant role in both crime and justice. Criminal justice and cybercrime can intersect in a variety of ways. When someone commits a crime, they are breaching the law and may face legal punishment from state or federal authorities. Both deal with people who perpetrate identity theft. Identity theft is an illegal crime in both the physical world of utilizing stolen information in person and the digital realm of data theft. Both are pursued and prosecuted in the same manner by the court system. Lastly, the application of forensics the criminal justice system employs digital forensics to assist in the identification of suspects and the discovery of evidence of what occurred. Cybercrime employs digital forensics to trace down an individual or to find purposely hidden material.