Armed forces minister Nick Harvey has called for the UK to exercise better security practices online, disregarding the need for a host of new criminal offences for illicit web activity.
Crimes on and offline are similar as they carry the same outcome and intent, Harvey said during a speech at the Govnet National Security Conference 2011 yesterday in London.
"Stealing money is stealing money regardless of whether it is done by pick pocketing or hacking," the minister said.
"So I do not agree with those who say we need a massive raft of new criminal offences relating to the internet."
He called for a commonsense approach, claiming a significant amount of cyber crime could be prevented through basic "cyber hygiene."
"Cyber hygiene needs to be applied both at home and at work because what cyberspace is doing is breaking down the barriers between someone's job and their personal life," Harvey added.
"For example, a member of the Armed Forces gossiping on MSN, posting on Facebook, or tweeting for the benefit of their family and friends needs to be aware that, because of their job, others may well be tuning in - opponents, adversaries, terrorists."
Last month, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched a marketing campaign warning against posting potentially risky messages on social networks, in particular Twitter and Facebook.
Whilst emphasising the need for greater public awareness was positive, businesses and Government should work together to find solutions, said Terry Neal, director of the SANS Institute for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
"At SANS, we have worked alongside the Cabinet Office and major UK cyber security employers as part of the Cyber Security Challenge UK to find the next generation of cyber security professionals to work alongside the wider public and protect our critical infrastructures," Neal said.
"The challenge is a great example of the type of strategic partnerships between Government, business, academia and citizens that Nick Harvey spoke of."
Yesterday, the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (ICSPA) was launched, seeking to bring together businesses and Government to fight cyber crime.
-
The race is on for Higher Ed to adapt: Equity in hyflex learningHyflex courses can improve student wellbeing and engagement, but only with meeting technology that leaves no one behind
-
Gen Z workers are keen on AI in the workplace – but they’re still skeptical about the hypeNews Younger workers could lead the shift to AI, but only think it can can manage some tasks
-
‘A major step forward’: Keir Starmer’s £187 million tech skills drive welcomed by UK industryNews The ‘TechFirst’ program aims to shore up the UK’s digital skills to meet future AI needs
-
Government’s ‘Humphrey’ AI tool helps local authorities cut costsNews The Minute tool, part of the Humphrey AI assistant, is being trialled at 25 councils
-
Starmer bets big on AI to unlock public sector savingsNews AI adoption could be a major boon for the UK and save taxpayers billions, according to prime minister Keir Starmer.
-
UK government targets ‘startup’ mindset in AI funding overhaulNews Public sector AI funding will be overhauled in the UK in a bid to simplify processes and push more projects into development.
-
UK government signs up Anthropic to improve public servicesNews The UK government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic to explore how the company's Claude AI assistant could be used to improve access to public services.
-
The UK’s AI ambitions face one major hurdle – finding enough home-grown talentNews Research shows UK enterprises are struggling to fill AI roles, raising concerns over the country's ability to meet expectations in the global AI race.
-
US government urged to overhaul outdated technologyNews A review from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found legacy technology and outdated IT systems are negatively impacting efficiency.
-
Government urged to improve tech procurement practicesNews The National Audit Office highlighted wasted money and a lack of progress on major digital transformation programmes
