Cyber criminals 'outpacing' government and businesses, says National Crime Agency

NCA calls for better collaboration between government, law enforcement and businesses

Criminals' cyber capability is outpacing that of government, law enforcement and businesses in the UK, which are attempting to respond to the increasing threat, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The NCA published its Cyber Crime Assessment 2016 report, outlining the threat of cyber crime to businesses, and it has called for "stronger collaborative working" between government, law enforcement and business to reduce vulnerabilities and prevent crime.

The assessment found that cyber-crime activity was growing fast and evolving, with the threats from DDoS and ransomware attacks increasing significantly in 2015.

It discovered that the most advanced and serious cyber-crime threat to the UK is the result of "a few hundred international cyber criminals" who target UK businesses to commit highly profitable, malware-facilitated fraud.

Data breaches are the most common of the cyber crimes committed, according to the NCA, costing the UK economy "billions of pounds per year".

The NCA suggested that under-reporting - businesses that do not divulge having been hit by a cyber attack or a data breach - obscured the full impact of cyber crime in the UK, and hampered the ability of law enforcement to understand the operating methods of cyber criminals and most effectively respond to the threat.

But businesses are reluctant to share that information for fear of the breach or attack becoming public knowledge, and therefore affecting consumer or client trust and tarnishing brand reputation.

Nevertheless, the NCA urged businesses to view cyber crime as a board-level responsibility, and use the reporting paths available to them, sharing intelligence with law enforcement and each other.

The government is to publish its National Cyber Security Strategy soon, which will set out how it plans to invest £1.9bn in cyber security over the next five years.