Obama gives fresh impetus to cybercrime battle

Barack Obama, US president, yesterday lifted cybersecurity high up his administration’s agenda as he promised to name a White House co-ordinator to oversee policy and responses to threats to government and private communications networks.

Mr Obama cited an industry report that put losses from cybercrime – including industrial espionage and identity theft – at $1,000bn (€706bn, £617bn). He de-clared that the increased dependence on electronic banking and commerce made improved security a matter of economic necessity as well as a key plank of national defence.

“Our defence and military networks are under constant attack,” he said. “Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups have spoken of their desire to unleash a cyberattack on our country – attacks that are harder to detect and harder to defend against.” Releasing a review of federal policy on cybersecurity, Mr Obama said the government had been hamstrung so far by its complexity and conflicts among agencies.

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