Academics from across Europe and beyond gathered at Christ Church University this week for a two-day conference in a bid to tackle the growing threat of Cybercrime.

The second annual International Conference on Cybercrime Forensics Education and Training included presentations from Microsoft and defence contractors.

Close attention was given to the problems in gathering digital forensic evidence for criminal investigations, curbing intrusive viruses and better informing parents about the risks of online child exploitation.

Head of the university’s computing department, Denis Edgar-Nevill, admits common sense is the best approach for tackling the last of those three threats.

He said: “Particularly now in the advent of social networking sites, make sure your kids don’t have a computer in their bedroom.

“Make sure they are in family common rooms where they are not going to get into long conversations with people they don’t know the identity of.

“There is no way of knowing if your 12-year-old daughter is talking to another 12-year-old girl or a 45-year-old paedophile.”

Hi-tech criminal expert Prof Nigel Jones, MBE from University College, Dublin, identified that there was a unique role reversal adding to the problem, as the typical situation of children learning from their parents had been turned on its head.

He said: “In relation to technology, parents have just got to put their hands up and accept their children know more that they do.”

Prof Jones had simple advice for those looking for better online protection.

He said: “It’s almost like reading the manual, but people have to make sure their system is up to date – it’s very easy to do in today’s age.”

Visiting delegate Associate Prof Gary Kessler, from Champlain College in the US state of Vermont added that he believes education is of paramount importance.

He said: “The best defence is a good offence. People need to be aware of the technology they’re using.

“We don’t allow people to use a car without getting a licence, so one could almost argue that we shouldn’t let people use the information super highway without some kind of training.”

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