Tech managers targeted by cyber criminals

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/newsid_2068000/2068276.stm

27 June, 2002

The head of the UK's cyber police unit has warned that tech managers
could become victims of kidnappers and organised crime.

Len Hynds, from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), has told
Computing magazine that computer bosses could be vulnerable to attack
in the same way as bank managers were targeted in the past.

Mr Hynds said that the NHTCU had already seen cases of criminal gangs
blackmailing companies after discovering weaknesses in their computer
systems.

The next step could well be physical risk to technology managers, he
said

Tech recruits

"Organised criminals will intimidate people with access to
information," he told Computing.

He warned companies to improve recruitment and to be careful about the
people they employed in positions with access to computer data.

Criminal gangs were also likely to start hiring more people with
technological know-how as computers increasingly become an important
tool in crime, he said.

Computer forensic firm Datasec conducts investigations of criminal or
industrial computer crime and has had cases in which individuals
within organisations have been targeted for their knowledge about
sensitive data.

Distributed responsibility

Managing director Adrian Reid believes employees with responsibility
for technology should exercise caution when talking about their work.

"If someone was going to target the IT manager, he or she will find
out as much about that individual as they can," he said.

"Employees in sensitive areas need to be careful about what they say
about themselves and what information about them is in the public
arena," he said.

Nearly three-quarters of UK companies have sensitive data on their
computer networks and they too must do more to make sure that one
person does not have sole responsibility for such information.

"Companies should consider distributing responsibilities," said Mr
Reid. "It is harder to corrupt a group of people than it is one
individual."


 

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