Those bemoaning the government's less than total commitment to getting tough on e-crime, and getting tough on the causes of e-crime, may be pleased to learn today's news that Justice Secretary Jack Straw's email account has been hacked.

Yes, according to reports, the Hotmail account Straw uses for his Blackburn constituency office was infiltrated by hackers, believed to hail from Nigeria, who then used the classic 419 scamming technique to try and con money out of contacts in his address book.

The scammers sent emails to those contacts, purporting to be from Straw, claiming that he had lost his wallet while in Lagos on official business, and needed $3000 to settle hotel bills and sundry items.

The Blackburn MP was at pains to point out that no government business was at risk from the hack, but it must be ever-so-slightly embarrassing for the Justice Secretary, who was instrumental in setting up the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit when he was Home Secretary back in 2001.

However, it remains to be seen whether incidents like this will do anything to impress upon our lawmakers the need for greater funding for e-crime units, and more international co-operation to shut down the botnets and crack the e-crime rings.

24 Feb 2009