Criminal Justice Committee Debate: Cybercrime скачать в хорошем качестве

Criminal Justice Committee Debate: Cybercrime

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (Angela Constance) Today’s committee-led debate is an ideal opportunity to set out the current picture of cybercrime in Scotland and the actions that we are taking and need to take across policing, Government, business and civil society to prevent harm, protect victims and strengthen our national resilience. Cybercrime has changed the character of offending in Scotland. Five years ago, Police Scotland recorded 7,710 cybercrimes; today, the figure is 14,120—almost double pre-pandemic levels. Those are broad estimates from police records, but the direction is unmistakable. More crime—whether fraud, extortion or exploitation—is now committed online or enabled by digital means. The public’s experience mirrors that. The Scottish crime and justice survey estimates 524,000 incidents of fraud and computer misuse in 2023-24, which means that roughly one in 10 adults is affected. When organisations suffer a cyberincident, the knock-on effects on people can be severe. The Co-op cyberattack in April, for example, disrupted operations and supply chains, leaving some of our rural and island communities with empty shelves in local shops. When West Lothian Council’s schools IT systems were hit, many schools experienced operational challenges, although exams were not affected due to well-rehearsed contingency plans. Those incidents are stark reminders of the growing cyber threat and the importance of resilience across all parts of society. What does that mean for our justice system? Our courts, law enforcement agencies and prisons handle enormous amounts of sensitive information, including criminal records, evidence and personal details of victims and witnesses. One breach could expose that data, endanger lives and derail investigations. Cybersecurity is not just about protecting data; it is about protecting trust. If systems are hacked or evidence is tampered with, confidence in fair trials collapses and, with it, the rule of law. Today, most evidence—emails, closed-circuit television footage and forensic data—is stored digitally. That makes it vulnerable to alteration or deletion, which could lead to wrongful convictions or acquittals. Let us not forget operational continuity. Courts and law enforcement rely on digital platforms for case management, e-filing and virtual hearings. A ransomware attack could halt proceedings, delay justice and create massive backlogs. Justice systems are prime targets for organised crime and even state-sponsored actors seeking to disrupt governance or influence outcomes. Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue; it is the cornerstone of justice that safeguards the fairness, reliability and resilience of our digital legal systems. That means that prevention, early warning and rapid, well-coordinated incident response arrangements are just as important as detection and prosecution. Police Scotland has strengthened its specialist capability in cybercrime investigations and digital forensics. The newly established cyber and fraud unit is consolidating the prevention of cyberfraud and digital harm under one command. Innovation is also happening at the front line of policing through the deployment of digital forensic vans and digital evidence detection dogs and the exploration of AI-enabled efficiencies as part of the policing in a digital world programme. Those changes matter, but we must be realistic about the constraints and challenges. Over 90 per cent of crimes now involve some form of digital evidence, and that places sustained pressure on our investigative capacity. The digital evidence-sharing capability programme, which is funded by the Scottish Government, is tackling that challenge and is now live across all police divisions. Across the justice system, we must—guided by the Christie principles—deliver integrated and secure services, providing better outcomes and best value for the public. Legislation must evolve, too. The Computer Misuse Act 1990 remains the backbone of legislation on cyber-dependent crime, but it predates contemporary security research. The proposal by the UK Government of a statutory defence for legitimate security research is welcome, and we will continue to engage with the UK Government on that matter. To watch in full - https://www.scottishparliament.tv/mee...