Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 10 December 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 December 1999. It was answered by Patricia Hewitt (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 December 1999 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud, including fraudulent use of computer chips and (c) theft his Department has recorded in the last five years. - Inc table and list. (Holding answer 15 December 1999).

Answer: Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud, including fraudulent use of computer chips and (c) theft his Department has recorded in the last five years. [102835] Ms Hewitt: [holding answer 15 December 1999]: Records of IT security incidents reported within my Department for the period in question show: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Hacking incidents (excluding Fraud (all computer chip Theft (excluding computer minor incidents of computer thefts) chips) misuse) 1995 4 14 48 1996 1 8 30 1997 0 2 17 1998 1 5 20 1999 2 4 15 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Two of the hacking incidents were successful but of a minor nature. One of the 1999 hacking incidents, technically speaking did not involve the hacking into a computer. In this particular incident, an e-mail server was illegally used to redistribute e-mail messages. The incident was the result of a temporary configuration error which was then corrected. These figures include next step agencies.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 341 c453-4W; 102835
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Crime Computers Department of Trade and Industry Fraud Government departments Security Theft Hacking
Contains statistics: Yes