UK businesses are facing direct losses of at least £2.4bn a year to computer criminals, according to research from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit.
The volume of computer crime has increased over the past 12 months, with nearly 90%, of companies experiencing at least one incident of computer crime, up from 83% a year ago, the survey shows.
Mick Deats, acting head of the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, said organisations must ensure systems and procedures are in place to ensure criminals do not slip the net.
“The biggest issue is making sure you have vetted your staff and your contractors,” he told Personnel Today sister publication Computer Weekly.
“You can put all your procedures on paper, but you have to make sure they are implemented. If you have staff you have taken on in a hurry without references, that can undermine everything.”
The CBI described the trend as “worrying” and renewed its calls for greater resources to be allocated to high-tech policing.
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“We have urged the government to allocate additional financial and logistical resources to strengthen the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit’s work in the UK and internationally,” said CBI senior policy adviser Susan Daley.
The survey, published today, was conducted for the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit by National Opinion Poll.
