Infosec 2009: Experts discuss the cyber crime landscape

Beating cyber crime needs a concerted effort

Every person who goes online has a part to play in helping to reduce e-crime and better secure cyberspace, according to a panel of experts speaking at the Infosecurity Europe show in London.

Philip Virgo, secretary general of Eurim, began the panel debate by highlighting the development of today's real-world law enforcement agencies, which were originally created by businesses such as rail companies and banks rather than by governments.

Virgo believes that we cannot expect governments to shoulder all the responsibility for policing the internet. He believes that only by users, agencies, security firms and organisations working together can the huge problem of cyber crime begin to be addressed.

His call was echoed by Charlie McMurdie, detective superintendent of the newly formed Police Central e-Crime Unit (PceU), who is pushing for greater interaction between the various stakeholders, both public and private, across various countries.

"Currently, everyone is doing different things in different ways," she said. "We need to develop structure, standards and training, not only for the 43 police forces across the UK, but all the organisations involved in helping detect, prevent and track down illegal online behaviour."

This will help to speed up investigations, and help eliminate duplication, thereby freeing up more of the limited resources, according to McMurdie.

The PceU is pushing for end users to get involved as well by reporting even relatively minor instances of e-crime, as these can help to locate and identify the large organised criminal gangs.

"It is more pieces of the jigsaw coming together to provide a better investigation. We need to gear up the limited resources that I've got so that we can provide a better service to the public," added McMurdie.

"We've got to look at improving our police response. Cyber crime is going up, but my resources aren't, and the only way I can make them grow is by better harvesting the links with industry."