The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the UK
Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) have called for greater
collaboration with the IT security industry in fighting
cybercrime.
"A partnership with the [IT security] industry is important,"
Keith Mularski, supervisory special agent in the FBI's cyber unit
told delegates at the
RSA Conference Europe 2009 in London.
"We have to work together because cybercrime is a global threat
that is bigger than any single law enforcement organisation," he
said.
Greater involvement with the IT security industry is part of an
international effort by law enforcement agencies like the
FBI and Soca to promote and speed up information sharing.
"Sharing information in real time will help law enforcement to
become more proactive in tackling this problem," Mularski said.
International law enforcement agencies are working to bring down
internal and external barriers to communication, he said, claiming
that "great strides" had been made.
Andy Auld, head of intelligence, e-crime department, Soca says
collaboration with the FBI has given each better access to and
understanding of each other's partner countries and allies.
"The US, UK, Germany, Netherlands and Australia have all joined
forces to form a taskforce to tackling this international problem,"
said Auld.
The taskforce is sharing resources and target lists, he said, to
fast track operations to infiltrate groups, identify attack
methods, invalidate stolen data and stop criminal digital money
exchanges.
"By targeting stores of stolen data, we are attacking
cybercriminals' profitability by damaging their reputation as
suppliers of valid data," said Auld.
Targeting criminal money exchanges is aimed at eliminating the
current mechanism use for untraceable, irrevocable cash flows in
the underground economy, he said.
Despite advances, Auld and Mularski said there is a need for
much greater interaction at national and international levels,
which must include the IT security industry and security
professionals.
They both see collaboration as the only effective way of
fighting criminals who are working collaboratively to provide
sophisticated and organised support in the underground economy.