Hi-tech criminals target UK firms
British businesses are under siege by criminals and vandals using technology for financial gain or to cause havoc.
A survey by the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit found 83% of UK companies have been the victims of computer crime. The vast majority, 77%, were virus attacks and, on average, companies face 254 assaults from malicious programs every year. Other computer crimes reported in the study included fraud, theft of key data and denial-of-service attacks. I can't walk down the High Street and have banner advertisements that come up to promote cannibalism but why tolerate that online? DCS Len Hynds Sex sites clean-up needed The survey was unveiled at the second E-Crime Congress in London. In addition to business fraud, the crime unit's head DCS Len Hynds, said he was determined to clean up sex sites promoting cannibalism and necrophilia. "I can't walk down the High Street and have banner advertisements that come up to promote cannibalism but why tolerate that online?" He told the conference that some companies are being hit by "multi-million pound losses" as a result of hi-tech crime. "Whilst it is too early to put an accurate figure on the total financial impact for UK business all the indicators suggest that we are talking about billions rather than millions," he said. Money pit The cost of dealing with attacks over the last year by disinfecting computers, investigating who has committed crimes and securing networks and machines was put by survey respondents at £195m. Although viruses caused more businesses problems, it was fraud that cost firms the most money. Cleaning up after a virus attack cost UK firms about £27.8m but financial fraud drained company coffers of £121m, according to the survey. Much of this figure was made up of two cases of fraud in which firms lost £60m. Many companies responding in the survey, 20%, said they had been the subject of a denial-of-service attack that bombarded their website with enormous amounts of data. Others had corporate websites spoofed by thieves seeking to trick customers into revealing key details. The study also found that larger firms were more likely to have an in-house team that has been set up to deal with any serious hi-tech crime incidents. Almost one-third of those questioned have no formal team ready to tackle computer crimes. Sharing information On the virus front, many of the malicious programs in circulation now are being put to specifically criminal intent. Few are simply nuisance programs despatched simply to inconvenience. Up to 30% of the spam or junk e-mail that travels the net is thought to be relayed by hijacked home computers that have been compromised by viruses and which are under the control of anyone who takes the time to search for them. The E-Crime Congress is organised around the theme of "Designing out Hi-Tech crime" and aims to get businesses, security firms and police collaborating more closely to share information about crimes, criminals and prevention techniques. Up to 400 delegates are expected to attend the summit from law enforcement organisations, computer security firms, data forensics outfits, consumer groups and big business. Speakers include Len Hynds, head of the NHTCU; Bill Hughes, head of the National Crime Squad; Sir John Stevens, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and Tim Wright who heads the Home Office's Hi-Tech crime section.
Reproduced from an article published by BBC News
© BBC News
The original article can be viewed here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3513063.stm
Permalink Bookmark Digg this story
