Cyber attacks on the Government, the public and industry have reached disturbing levels, according to the chief of Britain’s spy centre
Writing in the Times newspaper, Iain Lobban, the head of GCHQ, said the UK’s economic wellbeing is under threat from cyber criminals.
Lobban said that criminals are increasingly using the internet to extort money and steal information.
Companies, particularly those working in defence, are being targeted by cyber criminals and even governments trying to pinch intellectual property.
“I can attest to attempts to steal British ideas and designs — in the IT, technology, defence, engineering and energy sectors, as well as other industries — to gain commercial advantage or to profit from secret knowledge of contractual arrangements,” said Lobban.
He also told of a “significant” attack on the Foreign Office’s computer systems as well as numerous attempts to steal information from defence contractors.
I can attest to attempts to steal British ideas and designs to gain commercial advantage or to profit from secret knowledge
Iain Lobban
William Hague, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, told the Times: “Before the First World War a new type of battleship came out every ten years or so, but in this race new techniques are adopted every day.”
British intelligence and crime agencies reportedly foiled a plot to steal a million identities. The discovery, by GCHQ and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, prevented £300m of debit and credit card fraud, according to Hague.
Hague stressed the urgent need to tackle cyber crime to protect intellectual property to allow businesses to prosper and grow. He said the government is putting £650m into preventing attacks over the next four years.
No comments yet