Criminal Law Library BlogRethinking Cyber Warfare: The International Relations of Digital Disruption
Author: R. David Edelman
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2024
Articles Posted in Cybercrime
When Risks Converge: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Economic Instability, and the Challenge of Institutional and Personal Resilience
An Overview and Analysis of Jim VandeHei’s Two-Part Axios Commentary
Introduction
In an October 25, 2026, commentary published by Axios, CEO and co-founder Jim VandeHei raises concerns about the convergence of technological, economic, geopolitical, and political risks that could produce unprecedented disruptions over the next several years. Writing in his weekly Axios C-Suite newsletter, VandeHei argues that the danger lies not simply in any one potential crisis, but in the possibility that multiple crises could occur in rapid succession, reinforcing one another before institutions and individuals have sufficient time to respond. His two-part discussion, addressing both the emergence of these risks and practical steps for preparing for them, offers a useful framework for considering the responsibilities of governments, businesses, information professionals, and individual citizens in an increasingly unpredictable world.
Vulnerabilities: The PHP2Shell Case and Its Implications for Cybersecurity, Law Libraries, and Legal Research
ABSTRACT
The October 21, 2026 disclosure of two critical PHP software vulnerabilities, collectively known as PHP2Shell, may represent an important milestone in the evolution of artificial intelligence from an information-processing technology into a powerful instrument of original technical discovery. Researchers employing OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol, Google’s Gemini 4 Argon, and specialized cybersecurity tools helped identify and demonstrate the seriousness of longstanding weaknesses in software underlying a substantial portion of the internet. This article examines the discoveries, the coordinated international response, and the opportunities and risks associated with AI-assisted cybersecurity research. Particular attention is given to responsible disclosure, human verification, institutional accountability, and the implications for librarians, legal researchers, courts, law firms, and other organizations responsible for protecting sensitive information.
Introduction
H.R. 5967 Strategic Task Force and on Scam Prevention ct
October 16, 2026 – Cost Estimate.
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 16, 2026
Police One Webinar: How Integrated Intelligence Accelerates Casework
As law enforcement agencies confront growing volumes of digital information and increasingly complex investigations, the challenge is no longer simply gathering data, it is connecting the right information quickly enough to generate actionable intelligence. This upcoming webinar explores how agencies are responding by moving toward more integrated and collaborative investigative environments that improve visibility, coordination, and analytical capability across systems and jurisdictions.
Drawing on real-world operational examples and practitioner insights, the discussion will examine where investigations most commonly stall in fragmented data environments and how connected systems can help investigators identify leads, uncover relationships, and develop cases more efficiently. Panelists will also explore how agencies are leveraging integrated workflows and analytics to accelerate “speed to intelligence” while minimizing additional complexity for investigators already working under demanding conditions.
Among the key issues to be addressed are:
AI in Criminal Justice: Principles and Practice
As artificial intelligence rapidly enters the criminal justice system (shaping everything from policing strategies to judicial decision-making) the need for clear guidance has become increasingly urgent. Two recent publications from the Council on Criminal Justice provide a timely and authoritative response:
- Principles for the Use of AI in Criminal Justice
https://counciloncj.org/principles-for-the-use-of-ai-in-criminal-justice/ - Assessing AI for Criminal Justice: A User Decision Framework
https://counciloncj.org/assessing-ai-for-criminal-justice-a-user-decision-framework/
Better than the Real Thing? Promises and Perils of Synthetic Data: An Overview of Professor Peter Lee’s Essay Published in VERDICT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Professor Peter Lee’s VERDICT essay argues that synthetic data may revolutionize AI development by providing scalable, legally safer training material. Yet he warns that artificial datasets introduce new risks such as model collapse, bias, and misuse that demand proactive legal oversight. Rather than replacing existing regulatory debates, synthetic data transforms them, requiring courts, policymakers, and information professionals to rethink how innovation, privacy, and intellectual property intersect in the AI era
BETTER THAN THE REAL THING?
Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence: Winter 2026 Issue of SciTech Magazine
SciTech Magazine is published by the Science and Technology Section of the American Bar Association.
INTRODUCTION:
The Winter 2026 issue of The SciTech Lawyer, published by the American Bar Association’s Science & Technology Law Section, arrives at a pivotal moment in the legal profession’s evolving relationship with artificial intelligence. Centered on the theme of responsible AI use, this issue explores how rapidly advancing technologies are reshaping legal practice while raising urgent ethical, regulatory, and professional responsibility concerns.
How Secure are Private Records Held by Major Credit Bureaus?
Introduction.
The “big three” credit reporting companies, TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian, hold highly sensitive consumer financial data that can affect people’s access to credit, housing, employment, and insurance. Their data security posture depends not only on resisting large-scale hacking events, but also on preventing “low-tech” account takeovers that exploit customer service processes.
This post is based on Shira Ovide’s article, “It Wasn’t Hard to Highjack Trans Union Credit Reports, I Did it Myself. published in Tech Friend , a publication of the The Washington Post on December 12. 2025. In her article, drawing on months of testing by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Ovide describes a vulnerability in TransUnion’s customer service hotline that allegedly allowed callers, with minimal identity proof, to reset passwords and change account contact information, potentially enabling account takeover and unauthorized access to credit report details. TransUnion reported that it updated protocols after being contacted, and PIRG later found that additional verification was requested in most retests.
Guide to Preventing Scams: From New York City Council Member Gale Brewer
Spring 2025.
Letter from Hon. Gale Brewer:
Tens of thousands of people nationwide are victims of a scam every year—in 2024 alone, scams cost Americans $47 billion. As the New York Times reported,