07/10/09
Ex-FBI man to tell businesses how to stay safe online
A last call is going out to businesses in Wales to attend a national Summit on e-security- and benefit from the advice of Microsoft's leading expert on how to stay safe online.
Ex-FBI Special Agent Ed Gibson, now the Chief Cyber Security Adviser at the computer giant, has been added to the e-Crime Summit 09 programme, joining keynote speakers from companies including PayPal, Cryptocard and 7Safe to guide delegates on current threats and solutions.
This year's Summit is the fifth annual and will be held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Wednesday 21 October 2009.
Research shows e-Crime is becoming increasingly prevalent, with a benchmarking survey carried out on behalf of Welsh Assembly Government's e-Crime Wales Unit finding that nearly a quarter of businesses had been a victim of computer-related crime in the last year.
These crimes are increasingly viewed as ‘serious' with examples of attacks including financial loss, interruption of business, theft of intellectual property, data theft, identity theft or other deceptions caused by unauthorised and unwelcome access to computer systems.
Online attacks pose a threat to any business with a computer, from sole traders to multi-nationals, and organisations across Wales can register free for the e-Crime Wales Summit 09 at www.ecrimewales.com/summit2009
Since last year's Summit, Wales has continued to lead the way on e-Crime prevention across Europe. The team has ensured that Welsh businesses have direct access to dedicated e-Crime Officers in each Welsh police force. Businesses should contact their local officer for all e-Crime support and advice, details of whom can be found on the e-Crime Wales website.
The e-Crime Wales unit has also created a First Responder's Guide to e-Crime which is now a regular part of every police officer's training and toolkit. Along with the Preventing e-Crime for Dummies Guide, which is available to download at no cost. It covers all aspects of advice, support and guidance on how to protect business critical data from online threats.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister of the Welsh Assembly and Minister for the Economy and Transport said:
"The effects of e-Crime can be devastating in terms of loss of reputation, downtime and business continuity which directly impacts the bottom line. This impact causes unnecessary headaches to business owners who need to concentrate their efforts more than ever on running their businesses.
"Wales has taken a lead on the fight against e-Crime and in ensuring businesses are able to secure their future. We now have designated police officers in the four police forces and have produced a series of tools - website, literature, guides and policies - all of which are available free of charge to help businesses and individuals secure their systems.
"Business is increasingly conducted online. We aim to keep Wales as a great place - and a safe place - to do business."
The Summit also has a series of fringe events on October 20 including Creative Industries and Young People workshops, highlighting how e-Crime affects all areas of society.
The young person workshop is will be delivered by Dr Sangeet Bhullar, Executive Director of WISE KIDS, a non-profit company promoting innovative, positive and safe Internet use in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government. She said:
"The Internet and mobile technologies make it easy for children and young people to connect to friends, socialise and share personal information. Our key message for parents would be for them to be involved in their children's use of the Internet, set boundaries, advise their children on safe practices. Most importantly, they need to be approachable so that their children can talk to them if they have any concerns. The Internet is a huge force for good when used effectively, and parents need to ensure that their fears do not translate to a lack of access to the Internet for their children."
The e-Crime Summit reflects the partnership approach of the Welsh Assembly Government, as the information security industry, law enforcement agencies and Welsh businesses come together to learn, share best practice, gain new insights and understanding, and forge new relationships in the ongoing, international fight against e-Crime.
e-Crime Wales takes advice from a steering group of experts including Welsh Assembly Government, four Welsh Police Forces, the Home Office Team in Wales, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Morgan Cole Solicitors, KPMG, Get Safe Online, HSBC, MessageLabs, Sequence, Eclipse Creative, University of Wales, Newport and CRYPTOCard.
To make sure you receive the essential knowledge from the Information Security experts to secure your business, register at free for the e-Crime Wales Summit 09 at www.ecrimewales.com/summit2009
