Private Sector’s Help Urged for Tracking Cyber-Criminals

At the RSA Conference held in San Francisco during March 1-5, 2010, Robert Mueller, Director of FBI, called upon the country's private sector to help the agency in finding the dens of cyber-criminals. Searchsecurity.com reported this on March 4, 2010.

Reportedly, private organizations have been showing reluctance in notifying authorities of cyber attacks due to apprehensions that investigations would be detrimental to their operations. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice along with other agencies for law enforcement acknowledged this.

Mueller informed that his agency would share with private organizations all that it could, and in the quickest possible manner, regarding the techniques and instruments of cyber attacks. However, for that, the agency required to know about the problem. Therefore, being silent would be harmful for the organizations as well as their clients, the Director argued, reported TECHNEWSWORLD on March 5, 2010.

Recalling an incident, Mueller revealed how a certain company reporting of cyber-crime helped the FBI to bust a crime gang. The gang had stolen several million dollars from over 280 cities globally in 24-hours by means of bogus ATM cards, he narrated.

Besides, the Director pointed out that these hackers actively attacked the intellectual property, government networks and even the military weapons..

Also, alongside attacks motivated with political intentions, like in the case of Google Aurora assaults, hackers were increasingly aiming at corporate networks so as to steal their financial assets and intellectual property.

Recently, in the 1st week of March 2010, police in Spain arrested three individuals suspected of planning the biggest cybercrime till date. In excess of 13 Million computers were compromised through a virus, which stole credit card details.

Eventually, Mueller urged targeted enterprises that they should come forward to assist in finding the perpetrators. According to him, the FBI knew about the delicacy of the corporations' situations, reported FOXNEWS.com on March 8, 2010.

Mueller assured that for organizations offering help, the bureau would minimize their business disruptions, protect their data and privacy, and safeguard their business confidentiality and trade secrets wherever necessary.

Related article: Profit-motivated Cyber Criminals Aim Soft Targets like Bank Codes

» SPAMfighter News - 3/13/2010