Welsh Assembly targets internet crime

The manifesto, which will be put together at the eCrime Summit in Cardiff today (Tuesday), is an attempt to make businesses more aware of the threat of computer crime. This is the first time in the UK outside of London that such a scheme has been created.

"This is really for SME's," said Patrick Sullivan, director of media technology programmes at the Welsh Development Agency (WDA). "They are the backbone of the Welsh economy. If growth in Wales is to equal that of the rest of the UK we need to stop the economy being damaged by computer crime."

According to Tony Neate, crime reduction coordinator and head of industry liaison at the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) like the rest of the UK, internal threats are the biggest problem facing Welsh businesses.

"It's always easier for someone inside the company. We have to bridge the knowledge gap," he said.

Bruce Potter, national head of the technology arm of Morgan Cole solicitors, agreed that small and medium-sized businesses is where the problem lies. "The large organisations have got a good grasp of it," he said. "But smaller businesses need educating and this is what this summit is about. The uptake has been fantastic, we're fully booked, and that can only be good sign."

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