Law enforcement nationwide helping people and businesses to guard against cyber crime

The NCA has developed customised intelligence reports for internet hosting companies and service providers, acting on data provided by CERT-UK (The UK’s Computer Emergency Response Team) and the Shadowserver Foundation.

The analysis has so far identified that there are 5,531 compromises on servers within the UK each of which can be used to send out spam email, launch attacks against websites or servers, or install phishing websites to gain access to sensitive information. With phishing representing one of the most common cyber crime threats to the public and businesses, the NCA estimates that organisations acting on this advice could, between them, clean up to half of the phishing attacks that typically originate from the UK each month.

Following a number of high-profile malware threats to the UK, the NCA is conducting this activity to proactively assist network administrators who manage key parts of the UK internet infrastructure.

The reports will be issued by officers from ten police Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), comprised of 43 individual police forces, as well as Police Scotland and Police Service of Northern Ireland. They will notify businesses of cyber crime threats on their systems and will also include information on how they can subscribe to customised live threat data feeds.

This work is part of the NCA and police’s wider ongoing programme of engagement with industry partners, including ISPs, banks and security firms to collaboratively tackle crime threats to the UK and help facilitate the clean up of the UK’s internet infrastructure.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has worked with four police forces to hold cyber-security pop-up shops in London, Reading, Derby and Manchester this weekend. Anyone can bring along their digital devices for a free health check and to get advice on online banking, virus protection and protecting themselves online.  The pop-up shops enable people to get advice from a range of cyber experts from law enforcement bodies, banks, cyber security firms and information services such as Cyber Streetwise and Get Safe Online. 

Malware clean-up tools for businesses and members of the public, as well as information and advice on many aspects of online safety, are available at  www.cyberstreetwise.com and www.getsafeonline.org. Online crime can be reported at www.actionfraud.police.uk

Andy Archibald, Deputy Director of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said:

“Behind this week’s activity is the message that all of us, as individuals, businesses or law enforcement agencies, have a role to play in making the UK a safe place to enjoy the huge opportunities provided by the internet.

“Awareness of the type of cyber crime dangers which are out there is vital, whoever you are, as is collaboration between organisations across different sectors, regions and countries to develop the most effective ways of combating those threats.

“We will continue to work with partners to pursue and disrupt the major crime groups targeting the UK, but also, crucially, to make the UK as difficult as possible a target for cyber criminals in the first place.”

National Policing Lead for Cyber Crime, Deputy Chief Constable Peter Goodman said:

”Across the country, specialist cyber investigation teams in our ROCUs have developed the capability to take on cyber criminals and put a stop to their activity.

“The internet is an incredible resource for all of us and we want the public to have confidence in the digital space. We can give them that confidence by relentlessly targeting those who use the internet to commit crime.

“We alone cannot prevent people being targeted by cyber-criminals.  Nor can we can mitigate all the effects of an attack.  It is important that everyone does what they can to avoid falling victim to cyber criminals. I hope as many people possible make the most of the free advice being offered around the country on Friday and Saturday.”

Richard Perlotto, Director of the Shadowserver Foundation, said:

“We believe that information sharing and long term private/public partnerships are essential to successfully fighting cybercrime. Having provided free daily notification reports to network owners, national CERTs and law enforcement agencies worldwide for over ten years, we are very pleased to be able to support the NCCU in their unprecedented operation to mitigate cyber threats in the UK.”

The pop-up information shop locations and dates are:

• London – Westfield London shopping centre, Shepherds Bush – 06 March
• Manchester – Trafford Centre – 06 – 07 March
• Derby – Derby Theatre, Intu shopping centre – 06 – 07 March
• Reading – Broad Street Mall – 06 – 07 March