Renewed attack on online crime

The Home Office is developing a strategy to coordinate government, law enforcement and industry approaches to ecrime.

The paper, to be published in February 2004, will analyse existing and potential threats to online business.

Home Office minister Caroline Flint said: 'Our response to ecrime must evolve and develop as fast as crimes themselves do. This can only be done if all sectors engage as equal partners in combating the challenges.

'We cannot hope to effectively scope the nature of ecrime unless there is an effective reporting of crime by industry and individuals; unless government and others have establish a clear mechanism by which crimes can be reported; and unless law enforcement are appropriately organised to respond to reports,' she said.

The strategy will look at increasing public confidence in the internet, the role of law enforcement and the impact of legislation.

The Home Office is reviewing the Computer Misuse Act, which was originally developed before the internet, and will consider changes to sentencing for unauthorised access, said Flint.

IT lobby group Eurim is also launching a study of ecrime in partnership with left-wing thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Ecrime is a complex issue requiring a broad response, says Eurim's Chris Sundt.

'All this wonderful new technology can give us huge benefits, but can also be used for all sorts of nefarious purposes and which undermine those benefits if they're not properly handled,' he said.

There are three different types of ecrime, says Sundt. There are existing crimes made more efficient - such as mis-selling or paedophilia online. There are existing criminals making extensive use of technology - such as organised gangs and drug traffickers. And there are crimes targeting computers - such as hacking and denial of service attacks.

To address all three areas will need more than just changes in the law, says Sundt. It is also about designing better security into products, educating the public, and making the right skills available to law enforcers.

'This can't be done by just law enforcers, just industry, or just trade associations - it has to be done by everyone together,' said Sundt.

Computing launched its trust campaign, calling for many of the measures announced this week.