Humphrey warned that there is a market for potential scam victim lists out there, where scammers sell and buy databases with addresses and names of potential victims. Every time someone responds to an email scam, that address is ‘validated’ and rises in value for those intent on cybercrime.
He also said that the threshold for crime (and cybercrime) changes in people, especially during hard times such as the current financial crisis. In light of this, it is not enough to only scan and look at what comes in through businesses’ and organisations’ computer and email systems, but also look at the security of what goes out.
If lost or stolen, data such as customer lists could be valuable to cybercriminals intent on identity theft or scams.
Echoing Lord Erroll, Humphrey said IT security technology is not enough to secure data and information in a digital Britain. There is also the security threat of human error – or malice.
Furthermore, IT security will not protect printed data. He showed the audience a video on how easily a list can be photocopied and taken out of a business without leaving digital traces to follow. A customer list could be copied in a matter of two or three minutes…