Interpol and Palo Alto to strengthen efforts in combating cybercrime

Wednesday, 6 September 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Interpol and Palo Alto Networks have signed an agreement which will see increased cooperation between the two organisations in combating cybercrime.

The accord, signed at the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, provides a framework for threat information exchange focusing on data related to criminal trends in cyberspace, cyberthreats and cybercrime.

In April this year, Palo Alto Networks was one of seven private sector companies which provided support to an Interpol-led operation targeting cybercrime across the ASEAN region, resulting in the identification of nearly 9,000 command-and-control servers and hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals.

Information provided by the private sector combined with cyber issues flagged by the participating countries enabled specialists from Interpol’s Cyber Fusion Centre to produce 23 Cyber Activity Reports.

“Tackling cybercrime is not something which law enforcement can do in isolation. Cooperation with the private sector is essential if we are to effectively combat this global phenomenon,” said Noboru Nakatani, Executive Director of the IGCI.

“Interpol’s agreement with Palo Alto Networks is an important step in our ongoing efforts to ensure law enforcement worldwide has access to the information they need to combat cyberthreats which are a significant issue for both the public and private sectors.”

An expert from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42, its threat intelligence team, will be assigned to collaborate with the IGCI, helping provide a clearer understanding of the current landscape, which can equip law enforcement officers with information needed to prevent cyberattacks.

Sean Duca, Vice President and Regional Chief Security Officer for Asia-Pacific, Palo Alto Networks, said, “Cybercrime represents a significant amount of risk for businesses and organisations today. This collaboration marks a mutual commitment to information sharing, which is necessary in preventing successful cyberattacks. Together with Interpol, we can continue to raise awareness and educate business leaders and reduce the collective cybersecurity risk over time.”