BCS forms cybercrime forensics group

Technology user group creates team of online fraud experts to fight digital crime

A spike in UK-based cyber crime has prompted the British Computer Society (BCS) to form a new specialist group in the fight against online fraud.

The BCS Cybercrime Forensics Specialist Group will gather and interpret digital evidence for investigations, as well as help develop new standards for the recovery of information and give advice on new laws, training and the quality of software tools used by the police to track online fraud.

The group will also work with the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) and be involved in the annual international conference on Cybercrime Forensics Education and Training (CFET).

Denis Edgar-Nevill, the group's chairman and a BCS fellow, said: “The creation of the BCS Cybercrime Forensics Specialist Group will also hopefully answer the very real and growing demand for qualified people to assist in cyber crime investigations.

“We particularly want to look at how the Chinese tackled this issue in the lead up to this year's Olympics Games. As we move closer to 2012, cyber crime will become an even more important focus for the UK.”

According to the latest Internet Crime Report, the UK has the second highest number of cyber criminals ahead of the cyber crime ‘hotspots’ Nigeria and Romania.

Edgar-Nevill added: “Cyber crime is here to stay as the technology becomes less expensive and internet access pervades more and more of our everyday lives.

“Key to combating cyber crime is keeping ahead of new developments through research and sharing our results internationally to succeed in defeating a crime that has a total lack of respect for geographical boundaries.”

Group members include academic experts in the field of cyber crime, those involved in the support of law enforcement activities, computer specialists and lawyers.