Case Studies

HMRC cyber team

by msecadm4921

 
A cyber crime team to tackle tax fraud by organised criminals more proactively has been launched by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The newly-created specialist cyber crime team will protect the exchequer from attempted fraud by cyber-criminals who are using ever more sophisticated ways to target HMRC’s repayment systems. The team is designed to protect HMRC and taxpayers from organised criminals as a key element of HMRC’s Cyber Crime and Security Strategy. David Gauke, the Exchequer Secretary, said: “As more and more of HMRC’s systems move online, cyber criminals will look to exploit any opportunity to attack the repayment system. HMRC is getting ahead of the curve – taking forward what it is already doing in a better way. In the last year alone, customers reported over 200k bogus emails purporting to come from HMRC and, as a result, HMRC shut down close to 1,000 bogus websites.”

The new team comes as a result of the Government’s £917m spending review investment to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and fraud from 2011/12, which aims to raise an additional £7bn each year by 2014/15, and funding from the national Cyber Security Programme.

As well as the creation of the specialist cyber crime team, HMRC will be deploying more technology to stop criminal behaviour in real time.

Francis Maude, Minister for Cyber Security, said: “The Cyber Security Strategy set out the Government’s commitment to build a more trusted and resilient digital environment and protect the public from online fraud as we move more services online. This new unit will play a vital role in tackling online organised tax fraud and we have committed National Cyber Security Programme funding to it to ensure we are better prepared to deal with cyber threats and are better able to protect the public and businesses online.”

In other counter-fraud activity, dedicated reporting channels will take reports of the attempted hijack or misuse of passwords or credentials.  The Revenue aims to shut down bogus websites, claiming to belong to HMRC; and working with high-risk customer groups, such as tax agents, and publish security guidance pages on he HMRC website.

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