Interpol demands secure PCs

Computers should always be sold with security systems pre-installed to cut down on cybercrime, police and security experts said this week.

Activities such as phishing and pharming would be drastically reduced if PCs were sold with security software ready and running, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit's E-Crime Congress in London was told.

Bernhard Otupal, a crime intelligence officer for financial and high-tech crime at Interpol, said: "I would like to see boxes with operating systems sold with complete pre-installed security systems. Phishing and pharming wouldn't be possible if there was pre-installed security software on a machine."

However, Otupal said individual responsibility and awareness is needed to cut phishing and pharming attacks once they are provided with the tools to protect themselves.

Otupal added individual users should be able to expect high levels of security from those providing services online.

"If you buy a car, a warranty is normally in place. I think users should expect the same online. If users use a service [it] should offer a certain level of security."

But they should also be doing more to direct users to the relevant information. "The big players have dozens of advice lists, but the question is whether users are looking at the pages," said Otupal.

Tom Espiner writes for ZDNet UK