Creative Commons

This dissertation was written as a part of the Master of Science (MSc) in Cybersecurity at the International Hellenic University. In brief it describes how Law Enforcement Authorities use Social Media Platforms in order to fight cybercriminals, by heading inside an actual Cyber Crime Agency and introducing the standpoint of the people who are in the front line of the war against cybercrime. It is common sense that Social Media Platforms provide a variety of advantages to the public. Cybernetic communities comprise a welcoming environment for all people. But beyond the majority of users who register to a Social Media Platform in order to share knowledge, communicate with others, or enjoy its services in any possible way, there is a small percentage who will try to leverage its merits in order to gain unlawful profit. This thesis describes the general concepts of cybercrime, along with presenting the criminal activities committed on Social Media Platforms. Additionally, it analyses the relationship between social media and users’ data, along with providing a preview on how the legislation regarding the protection of people’s personal data changed through time. For the purposes of understanding in depth the collaboration between Social Media Platforms and Law Enforcement Authorities, the thesis presents and studies the investigating practices applied by the relevant Police Authorities, including the legitimate disclosure of users’ data. Furthermore, as above-mentioned, the thesis heads inside a Law Enforcement Authority. Real time scenarios of criminal cases and interviews of high-ranking law enforcement agents are unfurled, accompanied by a presentation of the Hellenic Cyber Crime Unit paradigm. Finally, the author proposes the development of a new intelligence database, which may ameliorate the collaboration between Law Enforcement Authorities and Social Media Platforms. In addition, several recommendations are presented, concerning the improvement of the services of the Hellenic Cyber Crime Division.