Cyber expert warns against growth in cyber crime
Andrew Beckett, Head of Cassidian Cyber Security Consultancy and Professional Services said this week that cyber crime is expanding at an alarming rate and welcomed the launch on Friday of the Europol European Cybercrime Centre in order to tackle the growing scourge.
Mr Beckett is a strong advocate for the need for international collaboration in order to address the transnational threat of cybercrime and believes that the new centre is a critical step in tackling online fraud and organised crime.
“The digital underground economy driving cyber crimes, like phishing, pharming, crime ware distribution and hacking, is expanding even faster than the enabling technology as the Internet Facilitated Organised Crime community becomes ever more adaptive and sophisticated,” said Mr Beckett.
“Only through coordinated, open, sharing of intelligence and experience between Governments, law enforcement agencies and the private sector will the authorities have any chance of developing the policies and infrastructure, including legislation that will tackle serious cybercrime.”
Cassidian, the Security and Defence division of EADS, is one of the recognised top ten players in Cyber security in Europe and is a founder member of the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (ICSPA).
It was set up Project 2020, the study led by Europol to analyse current trends in cybercrime and how they may evolve. Project 2020 is unique in that it will combine the expertise of leading law enforcement agencies with that of the ICSPA’s member companies, organisations and professional communities.
The European Cybercrime Centre based at Europol headquarters in The Hague will be a focal point in the EUs fight against cyber crime, protecting citizens and businesses against cybercrime threats.
