Direct from Davos and the ongoing World Economic Forum comes new rcommedations on how best to deal with the growing international dilemma of computer fraud. On the scene was FBI director Robert Muller who spoke up for greater information sharing and standardization of regulations to help law enforcement track, combat and prosecute fraud across national boundaries. Via the ever venerable Financial Times:

FBI chief urges exchange on computer fraud data

By Peter Thal Larsen in Davos
The Financial Times
January 26 2006

...Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Mr Mueller said there was no need to create a global agency to battle computer fraud, but added: “There can be standardised regulations and rules relating to data retention and secondly a mechanism for the swift exchange of information.”

His comments come amid signs that computer security and the risk of online fraud are an increasing risk for both companies and consumers. A survey of large companies by Swiss Re shows computer-based risks as their main concern, ahead of other worries such as corporate governance and natural disasters. Meanwhile, research by Visa International, the credit card network, shows that identity theft and fraud is the main concern of consumers around the world...

...The FBI has worked together with other law enforcement agencies to track down hackers who co-ordinate attacks on US companies but are based in other countries. However, Mr Mueller stressed that common regulations in areas such as data retention would make it easier for investigators to track down the perpetrators...

The full article appears here.

-- MDT

Labels: identity theft