Up to 40% of firms fire employees for cyber crimes

UP to 40% of companies have fired employees for cyber crime, a survey involving gardaí revealed yesterday.

Companies had experienced asset theft (63%), the leaking of confidential details (46%), organisational identity theft (17%) as well as financial fraud (39%). Nearly all had been victims of computer viruses.

The University College Dublin project revealed millions of euro are being spent to protect companies against computer crimes. Major incidents cost over half those surveyed in excess of €25,000. In a fifth of cases, criminal computer activities cost over €100,000.

Law enforcement activities were “hampered” by different jurisdictions using the internet, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said as he launched the study.

The survey of 42 companies, over half with turnovers of over €100m, included banks, Government departments and health bodies.

Phishing — unsolicited emails conning people out of money – are widespread across not only financial institutions but state departments, healthcare groups and the manufacturing industry, the report found.

Co-authors and computer security experts, the ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) warned the long-term costs of cybercrime would be enormous. But vice-president Owen O’Connor said expanding the research will help guide gardaí to tackle the crime.

Other company experiences included:

Harassment of employees inside companies (39%).

Theft of intellectual property (37%).

Increased insurance costs (8%).

Spending more than 50 man days resolving an issue (24%).

Only 25% sought law enforcement help with issues.

Despite increased awareness about cybercrime activities, most employees only discovered criminal and illicit incidents by accident.

Researchers suggested yesterday that organisations may be afraid of contacting enforcement sectors, like the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, for fear of damaging their image. But Detective Inspector Paul Gillen with the bureau’s Computer Crime Investigation Unit warned businesses against being complacent.