If you were not a PNC Bank of Bank of America customer, you may not have heard that hackers had infiltrateddatabases making it impossible for customers to do their banking on-line. Other than some majorly inconvenienced customers, no money was stolen. But, the event, although not highly publicized, was a greatly symbolic when it comes to the world of cybercrime. It underscored what the criminal defense attorneys at Sullivan & Brill have known for some time: computer hackers, if they choose to, can rule the world.

There is no doubt that cybercrime – or computer crime – is becoming one of most prominent types of criminal activity that face our country today. Here in New York, the NYPD and the major DA's offices have set up bureaus focused entirely on it. New York City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn calls cybercrime, “the new crime scene of the modern age.”

Cybercrime comes in all forms. At Sullivan & Brill, we have represented individuals who have been accused of committing all different types of cybercrime. At the top, are the hackers, who use sophisticated software to infiltrate or “inject” the program into a large database, like a bank, and steal credit card numbers, debit card numbers as well as the customer's pin numbers and passwords. In a highly organized and efficient operation, the hacker works with many others who steal this information, or in some cases, the cash itself. The operation ends quickly – sometimes over the course of a weekend when the company is - literally – not minding the store.

There are lesser degrees of cybercrime as well, such as identity thefts. In these cases, a smaller group of individuals will steal credit card or social security numbers and use the cardholder's identity to purchase various types of merchandise. At times, the credit card numbers are gathered by special machines that a cashier at a department store or a restaurant may possess. The customer will have no idea that this event has occurred until they receive their credit card bill or a call from the credit card company.

The criminal attorneys at Sullivan & Brill have developed special experience when it comes to representing individuals charged with cybercrimes or computer crimes. Our knowledge of the computer science, as well as the criminal defense process makes us an excellent fit for legal representation if you have been investigated or arrested for a cybercrime.