COVID-19 fraudster jailed for mass cyber scam – Crown Prosecution Service

‘A COVID-19 fraudster has been jailed today (19 May 2021) for using fake digital messages to trick people into providing bank details to receive a vaccine.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 19th May 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Online safety bill ‘will fail to protect millions from cloned websites and ad scams’ – The Guardian

‘The UK government’s online safety bill will “fail to protect millions” by leaving people at risk of falling victim to cloned websites and adverts paid for by fraudsters, experts warned this week.’

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The Guardian, 15th May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK Covid-related cybercrime fuels 15-fold rise in scam takedowns – The Guardian

‘The UK’s cybersecurity agency has taken down more scams in the last year than in the previous three years combined, with coronavirus and NHS-themed cybercrime fuelling the increase.’

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The Guardian, 5th May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

SRA backs new cyber-losses clause for indemnity policies – Legal Futures

‘The extent to which losses caused by cyber attacks are covered by law firms’ professional indemnity insurance (PII) policies is to be clarified by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 14th April 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rise in child abuse online threatens to overwhelm UK police, officers warn – The Guardian

‘The vast, and growing, volume of child abuse material being created and shared online is threatening to overwhelm police efforts to tackle it, senior officers have told the Guardian. And the situation is likely to worsen, National Crime Agency (NCA) child abuse lead Rob Jones warned, if social media sites such as Facebook press ahead with further encryption of messaging services.’

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The Guardian, 9th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Assange cannot be extradited, but free speech arguments dismissed — an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In The Government of the United States v Julian Assange (2021), the District Judge sitting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court discharged the American extradition request against the founder of WikiLeaks because there is a substantial risk that he would commit suicide. Given Julian Assange’s political notoriety as an avowed whistle-blower, however, the judgment is significant for its dismissal of the defence’s free speech arguments. This article analyses why these human rights submissions were unsuccessful.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st January 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Cryptoassets – Obtaining English Freezing and Proprietary Injunctions in Relation to Cyberfraud – Littleton Chambers

‘The theft and misappropriation of cryptoassets, typically Bitcoin, Ethereum and other virtual cryptocurrencies, by fraudsters is becoming increasingly common, and thus the subject-matter of civil fraud litigation. This article considers how parties can obtain the “nuclear weapon” of the worldwide proprietary or freezing order against cryptoassets.’

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Littleton Chambers, 13th October 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

Voyeurist hacked into webcams and used hidden devices to watch families at Butlin’s – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 15th, 2020 in computer crime, news, sentencing, suspended sentences, video recordings, voyeurism by tracey

‘A voyeurist hacked into webcams to record people in their homes and used hidden devices to watch families at Butlin’s, a court heard.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th October 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Westergate primary school snooping-accused teacher cleared – BBC News

Posted September 30th, 2020 in computer crime, electronic mail, employment, holidays, news, privacy, teachers by sally

‘A teacher who spoke out about alleged “overgrading” of pupils’ work has been cleared of snooping on her colleagues’ emails.’

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BBC News, 29th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Deepfake’ warning over online courts – Legal Futures

‘Video manipulation software, including ‘deepfake’ technology, poses problems for remote courts in verifying evidence and that litigants or witnesses are who they say they are, a report has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Financial Misconduct, the FCA and Coronavirus – Red Lion Chambers

Posted May 29th, 2020 in computer crime, coronavirus, financial regulation, fraud, news by sally

‘In view of the potential new financial risks posed by the Corona Virus pandemic, Cameron Brown QC and Sam Smart (Pupil Barrister) from Red Lion Chambers review the work of the FCA in tackling financial crime and the new challenges it may face.’

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Red Lion Chambers, 26th May 2020

Source: www.redlionchambers.co.uk

“The Devil Finds Work for Idle Hands” COVID-19’s Unwanted Cyber Side Effect – The 36 Group

Posted April 23rd, 2020 in chambers articles, computer crime, coronavirus, internet, news by sally

‘Cyber-crime is, at the best of times an evolving topic, in these exceptional times it is extremely fluid, as the ingenuity of the cybercriminal finds fertile ground upon which to prosper. We have in the recent past (literally) applauded the many positive actions that have emanated from this time extraordinary hardship and loss. Sadly, the recipe of “The devil finds work for idle hands” combined with the concept that the exceptional provides opportunity, cybercriminal ingenuity and a general state of latent fear, provides a meal of unrivalled opportunity for those with malevolent intent. The phrase “stay safe” is now of common occurrence. We need to be saying “stay safe” and “stay cyber safe” in these extraordinarily turbulent times.’

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The 36 Group, 22nd April 2020

Source: 36group.co.uk

Trading standards wins landmark prosecution of ticket touts – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 21st, 2020 in computer crime, consumer protection, fraud, news by sally

‘Yorkshire trading standards officers have helped to secure the first successful prosecution against a company fraudulently reselling event tickets on a large scale.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

BT account scammers jailed for £358k fraud – BBC News

Posted February 20th, 2020 in computer crime, conspiracy, electronic mail, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘Scammers who infiltrated BT customer accounts as part of a “sophisticated” £358,000 fraud have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 19th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Flight Risk: Cybersecurity in Aviation – The 36 Group

Posted February 4th, 2020 in airports, computer crime, data protection, encryption, news by sally

‘Cybersecurity is considered one of the top global risks to the world in the next decade. The problem is particularly acute for airports as they play an essential role in the economy and infrastructure of every country. Any incident involving airports would have widespread consequences to the industry, economy and society. The aviation industry finds itself at the heart of a number of regulations on data protection, network and information systems and security and safety.’

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The 36 Group, 3rd February 2020

Source: 36group.co.uk

UK court allows Saudi dissident to sue kingdom over alleged hacking – The Guardian

‘The high court has given a green light to a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia that has been brought by a prominent dissident living in London who has claimed he was the victim of a sophisticated hacking campaign by the kingdom.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cybercrime laws need urgent reform to protect UK, says report – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in computer crime, internet, news, public interest, statute law revision by sally

‘Britain’s cyber-defences are being endangered by the outdated Computer Misuse Act, which prevents investigators from dealing effectively with online threats while over-punishing immature defendants, according to a legal report.’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Community order for hacker who stole over 10,000 files from Royal Stoke Hospital – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted January 17th, 2020 in community service, computer crime, data protection, hospitals, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A former Royal Stoke Hospital employee, who used malicious software to crack the passwords of his co-workers and access over 10,000 confidential hospital files, has been given a 12-month community order.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 16th January 2020

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Law firms’ “shocking” vulnerability to cyber criminals – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2019 in computer crime, internet, law firms, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The vast majority of major law firms still have significant unaddressed cyber-risk, despite repeated urging by regulators, insurers and others to shore up their defences, according to new research.’

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Legal Futures, 12th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police officers illicitly access police computers including checks on a partner’s criminal record – Daily Telegraph

‘Hundreds of police officers and staff have illicitly accessed police databases for their own ends including checking the criminal records of partners. Freedom of Information requests show 237 officers and staff have been disciplined for accessing the highly-sensitive police national computer or other IT systems in the past two years.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk