Criminals are Early Tech Adopters

From the telegraph to the Tommy Gun, criminals have quickly used tech advancements to their advantage.

So here's a walk down history lane that includes an inconvenient truth...

Criminals adopt new technologies before law enforcement. We'll get into the examples in a moment, but let's first address the "why" here.

Criminals adopt tech quickly because they have the quickest path to profit from it.

Let's jump in for some examples of criminals staying a step ahead of law encorcement:

The Telegraph

In the mid-19th century, the telegraph was a new technology that allowed for rapid communication over long distances. Criminals quickly realized its potential for coordinating their activities, and used it to plan robberies and escapes. The Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was founded in 1850, was one of the first law enforcement agencies to use the telegraph to track down criminals.

The Automobile

In the early 20th century, automobiles became increasingly popular and accessible. Criminals quickly realized that cars could be used to make fast getaways and to transport stolen goods. In response, law enforcement agencies began to use cars to pursue and apprehend criminals.

The Tommy Gun

The Thompson submachine gun, also known as the "Tommy Gun," was invented in 1918 and quickly became a popular weapon among criminals. Its ability to fire rapidly and with great accuracy made it a favored weapon for bank robbers and gangsters during the Prohibition era in the United States. Law enforcement agencies initially struggled to counter the threat posed by the Tommy Gun. Many police departments lacked the necessary equipment and training to respond effectively to a heavily armed criminal.

The Telephone

In the early 20th century, the telephone became a common household appliance. Just like the telegraph, criminals quickly realized that they could use it to coordinate their activities and to plan crimes. Law enforcement agencies responded by tapping phone lines and using wiretapping to gather evidence against criminals.

The Internet

And then there's our beloved Internet. In the 1990s, the internet became widely available, and criminals quickly began to use it to commit fraud, distribute illegal goods, and coordinate criminal activities. Law enforcement agencies have struggled to keep up with the pace of technological change and the global nature of internet-based crime.

The key here is that the criminals move rapidly. They see opportunity and then develop ways of exploiting their newfound advantage.

The same is still true today.

Criminals will use tools like GPT-4 and other AI platforms to stay a step ahead of law enforcement and the general public.

This is exactly why your cybersecurity layers need to be hyper-responsive and forward-looking.

It's the same reason why INFIMA leverages these same tools to protect your people.

And the best part - we make it easy with our fully automated Security Awareness Training platform, built for the MSP community.