Joint action needed to curb cybercrimes [October 22 2011]

"Only a concerted effort can build an appropriate safeguard against cybercrime" said CEO of ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Reshan Dewapura.

Delivering the keynote address at the fourth annual national conference organized by the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT) said it is only through the joint actions of governments and citizens as a whole, as a cohesive force, that a reliable shield against cybercrime can be built.

" Threats in cyberspace are very real. The number of cyber attacks in the world is constantly growing and so is the cost due to cybercrime. Cybercrime affects the very base of the social and economic wellbeing of the general public.

New threat

“Today, in the light of these new realities and this major new threat to security - not only to the citizens but to the very functioning of the national economies, each state’s contribution to combating cybercrime becomes particularly important.

“There is no country that, in this age of cyber terrorism, can remain indifferent and unresponsive, or rely on nature or geography (like in the old days) to protect it against malicious acts, because in addition to bringing people closer, the Internet has eliminated distances and differences, while placing at the hands of criminals a very powerful means of organized acts of crime.

“It is only through the joint actions of governments and citizens as a whole, as a cohesive force, that a reliable shield against cybercrime can be built”, he said.