UK launches unit to tackle cyber crime

By Hannah Kuchler

The British government has launched a cyber crime unit to tackle a threat it says is becoming “ever more complex”, with one in three people a victim of online crime last year. 

James Brokenshire, minister for security, warned businesses and the public not to fall into a trap of thinking cyber crime was the stuff of science fiction. He highlighted the importance of reporting incidents – companies have been reluctant to do so for fear of exposing their vulnerability. 

Mr Brokenshire, speaking on Thursday at the Chartered Institute for IT, said developing expertise in cyber security could help neuter the threat and boost the UK economy. 

“The internet should be a source of tremendous economic and cultural growth for the UK. Cyber security should be an important part of that growth,” he said. “Businesses that take cyber security seriously can gain commercial advantages from doing so. The UK can export expertise through the growth of a vibrant UK security industry.” 

But the minister struck a more conciliatory note than US President Barack Obama, who has vowed “tough talk” with China on state-sponsored cyber spying. Mr Brokenshire said while there are some cyber criminals in China and Russia it was important to co-operate with other governments. 

He rejected the idea of a new treaty on cyber crime, saying it would quickly go out of date and the time taken to draft it would be better spent on implementation. 

Mr Brokenshire said the unit was launched in “shadow” form last month and will be part of the much-delayed new national crime agency when it is finally formed. He said it had already made 19 arrests and frozen about £500,000 in assets. 

The minister said it was important that cyber crime was integrated with other policing and the security services. 

“Our response should not be to create a ‘siloed’ army of cyber security experts that is divorced from our wider efforts to keep the UK secure and prosperous,” he said. 

He revived the idea of the “cyber bobby”, saying three regional cyber policing hubs had been training officers and that the Crown Prosecution Service aimed to equip every prosecutor to work on cyber crime cases. Companies should launch internships for young people to learn vital cyber security skills, he said. 

Mr Brokenshire said the draft communications data bill – which would give the state sweeping powers to monitor internet communications – was vital to make sure cyber crime was detected. 

The bill has been subject to an impasse at the top of government, with Theresa May, the home secretary, and the police saying it is desperately needed but the Liberal Democrats worrying about its impact on civil liberties. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013.