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The UK has been subject to a "disturbing" number of cyber attacks, the director
of communications intelligence agency GCHQ has said.
Sensitive data on government computers has been targeted, along with defence,
technology and engineering firms' designs, Iain Lobban said in the Times.
There was a "significant" unsuccessful internet-based attack on Foreign Office
computer systems this summer, he added.
On Tuesday, the government hosts a two-day conference on the issue.
Foreign Secretary William Hague convened the London Conference on Cyberspace
after criticism that ministers are failing to take the threat from cyber
warfare seriously enough.
It aims to bring together political leaders, such as US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton and EU digital supremo Neelie Kroes, with leading cyber
security experts and technology entrepreneurs such as Wikipedia founder Jimmy
Wales and Cisco vice-president Brad Boston.
'Threat to economy'
Mr Hague believes a "global co-ordinated response" is required to forge policy
on cyber development.
Writing in the Times, Mr Lobban said such an inclusive approach was vital.
"The volume of e-crime and attacks on government and industry systems continues
to be disturbing," he wrote.
"I can attest to attempts to steal British ideas and designs - in the IT,
technology, defence, engineering and energy sectors, as well as other
industries - to gain commercial advantage or to profit from secret knowledge of
contractual arrangements.
"Such intellectual property theft doesn't just cost the companies concerned; it
represents an attack on the UK's continued economic wellbeing."
'Rich pickings'
Mr Lobban added that government online taxation and benefits services could be
targeted in future, and said a black economy had already developed which saw UK
citizens' credit card details offered for sale.
The Ministry of Defence foiled more than 1,000 cyber attacks in the last year
from criminals and foreign intelligence services.
The Foreign Secretary William Hague revealed in February that computers
belonging to the government have been infected with the "Zeus" computer virus
after users opened an e-mail purporting to come from the White House and
followed a link.
He said cyberspace was providing "rich pickings" with UK defence contractors
also being targeted.
In January, three Foreign Office staff were sent an e-mail apparently from
another colleague in the Foreign Office.
In fact, Mr Hague said, the e-mail was "from a hostile state intelligence
agency" and contained "code embedded in the attached document that would have
attacked their machine."
But the government has been criticised for failing to take a strong lead in
protecting critical systems such as power and water from cyber attack.
The vast majority of critical infrastructure in the UK is privately owned.
A leading think tank, Chatham House, has said there is a reluctance by
government to share information with the private companies that might be
targeted.
It also criticised those same companies for putting up with an "unacceptably
high level of risk".
The government says it ranks cyber security as a top priority.
Last year it announced 650m of additional funding to help tackle
computer-based threats.
Around 130m, or 20%, is specifically earmarked for critical infrastructure
projects.