Features
Cyber unit tackles new crime frontier THE internet plays an increasing role in our lives and so GMP is setting up a dedicated cyber crime team headed by Det Supt Mark Smith. The team will span across the Force Intelligence Branch, the Force Hub and the Serious and Organised Crime Unit. Brief spoke to Mark to find out more.
What is cybercrime? It covers a broad range of criminal activity using a computer. Examples include identity theft, financial fraud, blackmail and cyber bullying. At an organisational level it may also involve hacking customer databases and theft of intellectual property.
Why was the cybercrime unit set up? Many retail and banking transactions, as well as social interactions, now take place online, so it’s not surprising we’ve seen an increase in crimes being committed on the internet. The rise is difficult to quantify but from 1 April the Force will start to record cybercrimes officially.
What are the effects of cyber crime? The effects of a successful cyber attack can have farreaching implications including financial losses, theft of intellectual property and loss of consumer confidence. The overall monetary impact of cybercri me on society is estimated to be billions of pounds a year.
Has your unit had any successes so far? We’ve had a number of successes around tracing individuals who posted comments online during a highprofile court case. Their comments amounted to an offence which is currently progressing through the judicial system. We have also had great success dealing with an international blackmail case where a local businessman received threats online that his business would be subject to a ‘denial of service’ attack. Two people from Poland were convicted and a third is being sought overseas. But it’s the everyday support that the team provides which is proving most beneficial, not only to operations
such as fracking, but also to divisional staff in monitoring tensions, developing online intelligence and responding to threats.
How can we protect ourselves online? Everyone should be aware of cyber threats and the simple measures they can take to protect themselves. Here are some of the most useful tips:
· ·
· ·
·
Always use strong passwords combining letters, numbers and special characters Secure your computer with a firewall, antivirus and anti spyware software and keep them updated Secure mobile devices with passwords and don’t store sen sitive information on them Never reply to emails that ask you to verify information, and never click on links or files of unknown origin Be cautious when giving out personal information such as your name, address, phone number or financial details on the internet
Many people now interact socially on Twitter and Facebook. How can they stay safe on these sites?
there are those who try to steal private information, or to bully and intimidate others. If, for example, your child loves using social networking sites, teach them about protecting personal information by thinking about what they are sharing and who they are sharing it with. Show them how to use privacy settings, how to block and report, and advise them to only accept friend requests from people they know in real life.
Where can people get more information on how to protect themselves online? The GMP website now has a Staying Safe Online section that can be accessed here. It includes advice on online security, links to other websites, and videos on topics such as cyberbullying and staying safe on social networks.
Where can officers get more information on how to investigate cybercrime? We now have an Intranet page which provides guidance to officers on all aspects of cyber policing. The page can be found by clicking the link below, and contains reference documents and links to useful websites. http:// gmpintranet.gmpnt.rootdom.gmp.police .cjx.gov.uk/PDQ/data.nsf/article.htm? readform&Unit=281290&Section=3987 77&Article=61297321
Although social media is used in a positive way by the majority of people, Brief 40th anniversary edition Spring 2014 29