BT and Interpol Unite to Fight Cyber-crime

BT has become the first telecommunications provider to sign a data exchange agreement with INTERPOL as it continues to step up its efforts to combat the growing incidence of cyber-crime across the globe.

The accord, signed at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, provides a framework for threat information exchange focusing on data relating to criminal trends in cyber-space, emerging and known cyber-threats and malicious attacks.

The mutual data sharing agreement will foster even greater co-operation between the two parties as they continue their fight to protect families, consumers, businesses and governments against the rising tide of cyber-crime.

BT’s threat intelligence experts will provide the IGCI with their knowledge and unique insight into the evolving global threat landscape, helping INTERPOL in its efforts to identify and take action against cyber-criminals operating around the world.

BT already collaborates closely with INTERPOL and earlier this year was one of only seven international companies with security expertise to provide assistance for a major operation to combat cyber-crime in South East Asia. BT’s threat intelligence and investigation team, based at the company’s security operations centre in Singapore, provided information on regional threats, including data relating to local hactivist groups and phishing sites.

The wider operation uncovered nearly 9,000 command and control (C2) servers, which are typically used to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and spread malware, ransomware and spam. Hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals, were also discovered as a result of the investigations.