Conference calls for global cyber-crime police

A cyber-crime conference in India has called for a global monitoring agency for electronic crime, as well as the standardisation of international laws.

The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (ICBI) used the conference to propose a five-step plan to boost international cooperation in dealing with cyber-crime.

The existing system of international collaboration includes Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties and Letters Rogatory to help with evidence collection.

It also offers 24/7 contact points for police cooperation, including agencies such as Interpol and G8 networks.

However, the ICBI called for further standardisation in the law and procedural obligations, as well as improvements in partnerships with other agencies, capacity building and the creation of an international monitoring agency.

"Standardisation of harmful conduct involving computers and the internet is a pre-requisite for any international cooperation," said the ICBI in a statement.

A presentation at the conference called for an International Organization for Safety in Cyber Space on similar lines to the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Telecommunication Union found in the aviation and telecoms sectors.

Yuval Ben-Itzhak, chief technology officer at web security firm Finjan, maintained that the ICBI's aims should be supported by the relevant public and private sector organisations worldwide.

"This is not about creating another set of Computer Emergency Response Team agencies because, as good as they are, they tend to be organised on a country or regional basis," he said.

"There needs to be a global body to co-ordinate the ongoing battle against cyber-crime."