Government readies activity to tackle £27bn cyber crime

The Government is to launch a campaign warning the public of the dangers of cyber crime as part of a £650m drive aimed at improving online security in the UK.

Cyber Crime Internet

The UK’s new National Cyber Security Programme will fund awareness activity and develop training courses forschool and college students to help reduce the estimated £27bn cost a year to the public and private sectors. Money will also be allocated to the UK’s security services.

Unveiling the plans at a conference in London, the Government’s recently appointed Cyber Security Minister, Francis Maude, says that for the UK’s online economy to continue to grow, both it and the private sector need to instil confidence in consumers of their services by investing in measures to ensure that technology “works, is resilient and secure”.

Several companies – notably Sony Playstation – have been hit by online security breaches of late. Online crime was also discussed at last week’s G8 summit in France, while David Cameron and Barack Obama promised that the UK and US will work together to “sustain and enhance the prosperity, security and openness of our networked world”.

Maude adds that the Government needs to assure the public that it is taking action to prevent data hacking and identity theft on its own sites as it looks to move more information services online to cut costs. It is also necessary to assure, he adds, that this drift online does not lead to accusations of a “big brother state”.