Cybersecurity for Policing
Recent years have seen an increase in cyber-attacks against police forces and other law enforcement agencies around the world. These attacks have ranged from simple harassment to more sophisticated attempts to steal sensitive data or cripple systems. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most common cyber security threats faced by policing organizations and offer some tips on how to protect against them.
The need for Cybersecurity in Policing
Cyber crime is on the rise, and police departments are increasingly targeted. A total of 351,937 complaints were received by the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2018. —an average of almost 1,000 per day—with reported losses totaling over $2.7 billion. This is up from 300,000 complaints and $1.4 billion in losses in 2017. The number of cyber crime complaints has more than doubled since 2014, when IC3 received just over 157,000 complaints with reported losses of $800 million.
Police departments have become an attractive target for cyber criminals because they hold a wealth of sensitive data—including personally identifiable information (PII) and law enforcement records—that can be used for identity theft, fraud, and other crimes. In addition, police departments often have outdated or legacy systems that are not properly secured, making them easier to exploit.
As the number of cyber crime complaints continues to rise, it’s critical for police departments to invest in cyber security measures to protect their data and systems. Some basic steps that all police departments should take include:
- Conducting regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities
- Implementing strong password policies
- Training employees on cyber security best practices
- Investing in robust cyber security solutions
Cyber-Attacks & Their Types
There are several types of cyber-attacks, and each one presents its own set of challenges for police forces. Some of the most common types of attacks include:
1. Denial-of-service(DoS)attacks: These types of attacks are prepared to overload a system with requests so that it can no longer function properly. This can be done by flooding a server with traffic or requests, or by taking control of numerous computers and using them to attack a single target.
2. Malware: Malware is malicious software designed for damaging or disabling computer It can be used for stealing data, or to gain access to sensitive information. Malware can be spread in many ways, including via email attachments or infected websites.
3. Phishing: Attackers use this tactic to try to deceive people into disclosing sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers by sending out phoney emails or messages that seem to be from a reliable source.
4. SQL injection: Attackers use this method to introduce malicious code into databases in order to obtain sensitive information or completely take over the system. Attacks using SQL injection can be exceedingly challenging to recognize and stop.
5. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks: These work in a similar way to DoS attacks but involve using multiple computers (often hundreds or even thousands) to attack a single target This can make them much more difficult to defend against than smaller-scale
The impact of Cyber-Attacks on Policing
In recent years, the number of cyber attacks on police forces around the world has increased dramatically. These attacks have had a significant impact on the way that
policing is carried out and has led to a number of changes in the way that police forces operate.
The most significant change that has been made in response to these attacks is the introduction of dedicated cyber security teams within police forces. These teams are responsible for identifying and responding to any attempted or successful cyber-attacks, and for ensuring that the force's systems and data are secure.
In addition to this, police forces have also changed the way they communicate with each other and with the public. In many cases, police forces now use encrypted communications in order to prevent their communications from being intercepted by attackers. Finally, police forces have also stepped up their training in relation to cyber security. This has included both basic awareness training for all officers, as well as more specific training for those who work in specialist areas such as IT or investigations.
The introduction of these changes has helped to improve the resilience of police forces to cyber-attacks and has ensured that they are better equipped to deal with these threats. It's crucial to keep in mind that no system is ever totally secure, and police forces must always adapt and improve their reactions to stay one step ahead of those who would attack them.
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Written by NIELIT Patna