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Virus writers probed for terror ties cyber cop
London, Oct 07: Britain`s task force against high-tech crime is investigating links between virus writers and extremist groups as it prepares defenses for a possible attack, a top law enforcement officer told Reuters.
London, Oct 07: Britain's task force against high-tech crime is investigating links between virus writers and extremist groups as it prepares defenses for a possible attack, a top law enforcement officer told Reuters.
The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) has started working with anti-virus firms to identify patterns in the source code of the most damaging Internet worms and virus programs to determine whether they are the work of organized subversive groups or crime syndicates.
The hope is that buried somewhere in the lines of code will be clues to the author's identity, motive and possibly, future acts of sabotage.
Of the dozens of viruses and worms that emerge on the Internet each week, none has been traced back to organized crime or subversives aiming to disrupt a country's infrastructure.
But as increasingly sophisticated programs surface, some capable of knocking vast computer networks offline, law enforcement officials are preparing themselves for this type of cyber warfare.
"It's a tactic that could be utilized. We've seen legitimate programs used in a way which allows people to have remote access to compromised systems. And similarly, viruses, Trojans and worms can be used by organized crime to launch attacks," said Detective Chief Superintendent Len Hynds, head of the NHTCU.
The challenge for law enforcement is in catching the suspects. Police have tracked down an increasing number of virus writers lately, but creators of the most damaging outbreaks remain at large and, some security officials say, may never be caught.
Bureau Report
The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) has started working with anti-virus firms to identify patterns in the source code of the most damaging Internet worms and virus programs to determine whether they are the work of organized subversive groups or crime syndicates.
The hope is that buried somewhere in the lines of code will be clues to the author's identity, motive and possibly, future acts of sabotage.
Of the dozens of viruses and worms that emerge on the Internet each week, none has been traced back to organized crime or subversives aiming to disrupt a country's infrastructure.
But as increasingly sophisticated programs surface, some capable of knocking vast computer networks offline, law enforcement officials are preparing themselves for this type of cyber warfare.
"It's a tactic that could be utilized. We've seen legitimate programs used in a way which allows people to have remote access to compromised systems. And similarly, viruses, Trojans and worms can be used by organized crime to launch attacks," said Detective Chief Superintendent Len Hynds, head of the NHTCU.
The challenge for law enforcement is in catching the suspects. Police have tracked down an increasing number of virus writers lately, but creators of the most damaging outbreaks remain at large and, some security officials say, may never be caught.
Bureau Report