There is safety in numbers, says Simon Moores, and
collective action from industry, police and government will help us
win the fight against e-crime.
This week, London witnesses a gathering of experts from
business, finance, law-enforcement and industry from every corner
of the globe. They are here to explore the growing problem of
hi-tech crime and what can be done to combat the threat it presents
to individuals and a fragile digital economy.
The e-Crime Congress has been organised in partnership with the
National Hi-tech Crime Unit (NHTCU). For two days law enforcement
agencies from all over the world can exchange ideas and information
with the chief security officers of the largest international banks
and hear both government and opposition views on the subject.
Can such a gathering make a difference? Eurim’s Philip Virgo has
wryly commented, “The only thing saving the information economy
from complete collapse, is that organised crime wishes to milk the
cow and not kill it.” It is this concern over the growing
involvement of organised crime on the internet that now unites
law-enforcement and business across the world.
In the face of fraud, extortion, phishing, hacking, viruses and
worms, the concept of "partnership" has become the watchword in
2004. Chief superintendent Len Hynds, director of the NHTCU,
believes that “with the internet privately owned, it’s absolutely
essential that a partnership between government and industry exists
to respond to threats from the electronic frontier”.
In expressing this opinion, he is finding support from business.
“The only way in which we are going to make a collective impact on
e-crime is when government and industry really start working in
partnership rather than in isolation,” says Paul Wood, the managing
director and chief security officer of UBS Investment Bank.
On the opposite side of the Atlantic the experience is no
different. Chris Painter, the deputy chief of the computer crime
& intellectual property section at the US Department of
Justice, argues,” A partnership between the government and the
private sector is essential to any effective response to the
growing threat posed by electronic crime.
"Given the speed of advancing technology and the unique and
often differing skills law enforcement and industry bring to the
table, co-operation expands our tool set and maximises our chance
of success. In addition, partnership fosters trust, the foundation
to any program to combat e-crime."
But can partnership prove effective as a defence against a
largely unrestricted environment of the size of the internet? Bill
Thompson, the information security investigator at Orange,
believes, “Industry and law enforcement see e-crime from different
perspectives but sharing experiences and information are of vital
importance if we are to succeed in fighting this new threat."
Looked upon from the outside, however, partnership against crime
on the internet may offer sound common sense, a circling of the
wagons against a largely unseen enemy.
With 2004 expected to prove the worst year to date in the story
of rising of crime on the internet, we can only hope that through
the exchange of intelligence, ideas and techniques, business and
law enforcement, we can find the common ground that will, one day,
lead to a safer and more trustworthy internet environment. It has
never been more urgently needed than it is today and tomorrow may
be too late.
What do you think?
Do you think a partnership to fight e-crime would be effective?
Tell us in an e-mail >>
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Setting the world to rights with the collected thoughts and
opinions of leading industry analyst Dr Simon Moores of
Zentelligence.
Acting globally, Zentelligence (Research) advises
governments, suppliers, business and the media on the evolution,
application and delivery of leading-edge technologies and
specialises in the areas of eGovernment and information
security.
For further information on Zentelligence and its research,
presentation and analyst services visitwww.zentelligence.com