UK, France Host Conference to Tackle ‘Hackers for Hire’

UK, France Host Conference to Tackle ‘Hackers for Hire’

February 5, 2024 at 09:54PM

Britain and France are hosting a conference in London with 35 nations and technology leaders to address the market for cyberattack tools and “hackers for hire.” The participants will discuss the threat to international security and human rights posed by these tools. An international agreement, the Pall Mall process, has been signed to pledge joint action. These tools are doubling in the commercial market every 10 years. This issue is a growing threat and requires collaboration with like-minded partners.

After reviewing the meeting notes, the key takeaways are as follows:

– A conference in London was hosted by Britain and France, with 35 nations and leaders from business and technology firms in attendance, to address the issue of “hackers for hire” and the commercial market for cyberattack tools.
– Representatives from major companies such as Apple, BAE Systems, Google, and Microsoft participated in the two-day event.
– The discussion at the conference focused on combating the commercial market for cyber snooping and attack tools, highlighting the threats they pose to international security, human rights, and cyberspace stability.
– Participants inked an international agreement called the Pall Mall process, pledging joint action against the malicious use of cyber tools.
– According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the commercial market for these tools is growing rapidly, doubling every 10 years.
– The government emphasized the potential risks posed by the malicious use of these tools, including unauthorized access to devices, eavesdropping on calls, obtaining photos, and remote operation of cameras and microphones using ‘zero-click’ spyware.
– The threat of “hackers for hire” conducting corporate espionage and services, as well as the use of these tools by hostile states, was highlighted as a threat to UK national security.
– Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden emphasized the necessity of working with like-minded partners to tackle the growing threat of malicious use of cyber tools.
– NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester stressed the increasing demand for capabilities to conduct malicious cyber operations, emphasizing the need for a thriving global cybersecurity sector to maintain the integrity of digital society.

These takeaways outline the key discussions and concerns addressed during the conference, as well as the collaborative efforts and commitments made by the participants to combat the growing threats in the cyber security landscape.

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