The Scottish police are grappling with a significant surge in cybercrime, as highlighted at the FutureScot cybersecurity conference. Detective Chief Inspector Norman Stevenson emphasizes the growing complexity of cases, attributing the rise to factors like cryptocurrency involvement and the expanding array of digital devices requiring forensic examination. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett underscores the multifaceted challenges faced by law enforcement, including the unexpected use of digital-savvy canines to detect digital SD cards.
Amid the pandemic, cybercrime has seen a substantial uptick, with reported incidents doubling since the onset of COVID-19, according to Stevenson. Trickett notes the evolving nature of cyber threats, with criminals increasingly leveraging advanced technologies like AI and deepfake videos to perpetrate online crimes. Meanwhile, the Scottish government has launched initiatives like the Scottish Cyber Coordination Center (SC3) to enhance intelligence sharing, run cyber exercises, and strengthen supply chain assurance to better track and respond to cyber threats.
The healthcare sector, particularly Scotland’s National Health Service (NHS), remains a prime target for cybercriminals due to its handling of substantial public funds and sensitive patient data. Scott Barnett, head of information and cybersecurity for NHS National Services in Scotland, highlights the challenges faced by his team in protecting the healthcare infrastructure against phishing attacks and social engineering schemes. Budget constraints exacerbate these challenges, with cybersecurity expenses adding to the financial strain on public services already stretched thin by years of austerity measures.
