New alliance to fight cybercrime

5 July 2011 Last updated at 12:59 ET

The International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (ICSPA) has been set up to fight cybercrime on a global scale.

Launched in London on Tuesday, the new body unites governments, international businesses and law enforcement agencies, including Europol.

Major security companies such as McAfee and Trend Micro have also signed up.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed the alliance.

"Our government has already injected an additional �650m to help improve our national infrastructure and protect against cybercrime, but the very nature of this threat calls for more than a national response; it demands a truly global response and that is what the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance is all about," he said.

The prime minister added that besides forming relationships between businesses, governments and law enforcement officers all over the world, the new not-for-profit organisation, chaired by former Home Secretary David Blunkett, will also be investing in training, as well as building an international exchange of expertise.

"ICSPA's goal is to improve international law enforcement capability and capacity to help protect businesses and their customers against this unprecedented threat," Mr Cameron said.

Continue reading the main story

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Cyber crime is a truly global problem and to tackle it we need strong partnership between countries and across private and public sectors"

End Quote James Brokenshire Crime Prevention Minister

Funding for the alliance is expected to come from the EU and a number of governments.

Key threats

Crime Prevention Minister James Brokenshire said that although the internet has brought great opportunities for individuals and businesses, it has also enabled criminals to operate "across national boundaries".

"Cybercrime is a truly global problem and to tackle it we need strong partnership between countries and across private and public sectors," he said.

In 2010, the government said that cybercrime and terrorism were among the key dangers to UK security.

One of the primary goals of the new body is to provide help to the countries that need most assistance, such as China.

"You've got to go beyond Europe. We need to make sure this doesn't turn into an all-English club," said Rik Ferguson, director for security research at Trend Micro.

"For a country like China, where infrastructure is being abused, there's no reason why they would not become a big part of ICSPA."

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UK to follow US on piracy policy

5 July 2011 Last updated at 11:21 ET

The UK could soon be following the US by blocking websites that pirate movies and music.

The warning came from communications minister Ed Vaizey in a speech to a conference in London.

In his speech Mr Vaizey said that a voluntary code of practice being drawn up by US ISPs and content owners could be a "game-changer" in other countries.

Many other nations are looking at site blocking to prevent illegal streaming of films, music and sports events.

The change of tactic comes as experts see pirates choose websites that stream content over traditional file-sharing networks.

Odd attitude

Mr Vaizey struck a bullish note in his keynote speech at the Intellect Consumer Electronics conference.

"If people are streaming live football without permission we should look at ways we can stop them," he said. "People have the right to earn money from content they create."

He remained tight-lipped on what came out of last week's meeting between ISPs and content providers to discuss website blocking, but hinted that the US may be leading the way.

"A voluntary agreement may come out of the US and if that does happen it could be a game-changer," he said.

In a dig at ISPs, he said he found "their attitude odd", especially BT and TalkTalk's failed legal challenge to the Digital Economy Act (DEA).

The DEA is aimed mainly at preventing piracy via peer-to-peer file-sharing but as people move away from that route, it also makes provision to block access to some websites.

It allows content providers to apply for an injunction against ISPs that do not restrict access to illegal streaming sites.

The Motion Picture Association has done just that, taking BT, the UK's largest consumer ISP, to court over linking to members-only index site Newzbin.

The MPA wants BT to block Newzbin with the same system that stops access to sites hosting child sex abuse images.

The members-only website aggregates a large amount of the illegally copied material found on Usenet discussion forums.

The case is due to be heard next week.

Free speech

Another conference speaker Neil Berkett, the chief executive of Virgin Media, said there was no current agreement between UK content providers and ISPs.

"We still have a way to go to create an environment where the two sides see eye-to-eye," he said.

"How do you ensure that content is protected in an age where a whole generation thinks that stealing is just fine?" he asked.

"Beating them over the head with a stick is not a good start. What is needed is models that encourage people to change their behaviour, subscriptions that are cheap enough so that people think 'I'm better off getting a full array of quality music' ", he said.

The US government has pledged to pursue those who link to illegal streaming sites, including extraditing individuals from other countries.

The issue has attracted some high-profile critics, such as Google chairman Eric Schmidt.

He vowed that the search engine would fight any attempts at web blocking. He warned that putting blocking measures into legislation would set a dangerous precedent for censorious governments around the world who might be tempted to use it as a political tool.

Mr Vaizey said that critics of website blocking displayed a degree of hypocrisy.

"They [the US government] have been tough but if they took down a website linking to fake handbags no-one would bat an eyebrow," he said. "As soon as it is a site sharing music it becomes an issue about freedom of speech."

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Apple to decide on Google+ app

5 July 2011 Last updated at 07:49 ET

Google has asked Apple to approve a mobile version of its social networking site + (Plus) for iPhones and iPads.

The news that it had submitted an iOS app was revealed by a Google employee, writing on her personal page.

For + to succeed alongside Facebook and Twitter, it will need to reach as many mobile devices as possible, according to industry watchers.

However, Apple exercises strict control over what can run on its platform and has blocked Google apps in the past.

If the search giant fails to get a "native" app approved, it may find itself restricted to a browser-based web application, as it has been for other Google services on iOS.

"There are two good reasons for getting a native app," said Torsten Stauch, chief technology officer at AppShed.

"The first is the exposure you get from being on the App Store.

"The other is the push alerts. You really need that to make the user start the app and engage with it," he said.

Rejected

Google has not commented of the app submission officially. However, employee Erica Joy posted on her Google+ page: "For my iPhone using friends: the Google+ iPhone app has been submitted to the App store (no not today, sometime prior to today) and is awaiting approval."

In the early days of its App Store, Apple rejected two Google applications - Voice and Latitude.

The company said that, in the case of Voice, it replicated one of the iPhone's core functions - something which broke the App Store's terms of use.

Apple's rules were later relaxed, following an investigation by the US Federal Communications Commission.

Invite only

Google+ is launching into a competitive social networking market, where market leader Facebook has an estimated 700m users worldwide.

The new service is currently in a closed, invitation-only test mode.

Technology journalists who have tried it have praised some of the innovative features, including Circles, which allows users to drop their contacts into categories such as work or friends.

A mobile version is already available for Android smartphones.

Extending that experience to Apple products will be important, but not a deal-breaker, according to social media consultant Rax Lakhani.

"Mobile is essential to Google+. But if Apple does not approve the app straight away, there is still the web app.

"I think a lot of people, even on the iPhone, do not have the apps, even for Facebook and Twitter. The mobile web experience is just as good, if not better than the apps."

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Baidu, Microsoft in search tie-up

4 July 2011 Last updated at 20:30 ET

Baidu, the biggest web company in China, will partner with Microsoft to provide English-language search results.

English search queries will be directed from Baidu to Microsoft's Bing search engine, the Chinese company said in a statement late on Monday.

Baidu dominates search in China with more than 75% of the market.

The move is aimed at increasing Microsoft's small web presence in the biggest internet market in the world.

Baidu said that it expected the service to start later this year.

The two firms have already co-operated on mobile platforms and page results.

Some analysts say this partnership is aimed at taking market share from Google, which has already retreated from the Chinese market because of a censorship spat with the government.

Despite that Google is still the second biggest search engine in China.

"The co-operation between Baidu and Microsoft will further strengthen Baidu's dominance in China's search engine market, and will also make Google's business in China more difficult," said Dong Xu, an analyst with Analysys International.

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