To help tackle cybercrime, City of London Police has enlisted internet security firm Kaspersky Lab, to train its police officers at all levels. This training, said to be the first of its kind with UK law enforcers, will provide them with the skills and knowledge to identify and resolve these crimes – from an victim encountering fraud during an online shopping-spree to a business losing thousands of pounds from a targeted attack.
The week-long training allows for hands-on experience, according to the IT company, teaching skills such as inspecting network traffic, analysing hard-drive images and decompiling malicious software using tools and methodology developed by Kaspersky Lab. The training will also address the need for businesses to improve fraud reporting, so that police have a clear view of the issue.
The first was attended and completed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau in February. While the course places emphasis on threats that are aimed at financial firms and government bodies, which are the top targets for online fraud in the UK, the skills learnt by attendees will also be applicable when they combat the cyber threats the public face, the IT firm says.
David Clark, Det Chief Supt Economic Crime Directorate of the City of London Police, says: “As the complexity of cybercrime constantly increases, it’s imperative that the service’s knowledge of such threats increases at the same pace. With over 21,000 computer misuse crimes in the UK in the first quarter of 2014, it’s clear that people and businesses are at risk and need protecting. The UK police service needs to be ready to identify these crimes and have the knowledge to tackle them head on. This partnership with Kaspersky Lab further underlines our role as the national policing lead for economic crime and will enhance our capability for combating fraud and cybercrime nationwide.”
And Kirill Slavin, Managing Director, UK and Ireland at Kaspersky Lab, says: “Kaspersky Lab is committed to tackling cyber threats across the board, from identifying the latest malicious malware to educating consumers and businesses on how to avoid attacks. Working with end users and protecting them from the issue only goes part of the way to dealing with this growing phenomenon. Upskilling the law enforcement agencies who are at the coalface of this issue is of paramount importance to Kaspersky Lab. Our security intelligence services are perfectly aligned with their needs, and through cooperation and joint efforts, we can truly disrupt the activities of cybercriminals.”
