Malvern 'Dirty Lab' Holds Its Own Against Hackers

A Research Unit has been set up in Worcestershire that aims to track the vulnerabilities in security systems of small companies. The purpose of this organization is to help small and medium-scale companies tackle cyber crime as they don't have the same resources at hand like large-scale companies to fight effectively against hacking. According to a report published for the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance in the Cabinet Office, most of the money is stolen by organised criminal gangs. The total loss estimated due to cyber crime in the country is a staggering  £27bn a year.

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The unit is called 'dirty lab' and is part-funded by the government. The primary function of the unit is to simulate hacking attacks and test measures to fight against viruses in a secure environment. The lab is run as a partnership deal between six local security companies, known as the Malvern Cyber Security Group. In its apperance, it looks like a normal office only connected to servers and thick cables adorning the walls.

The employers of this organization use the same tactics and techniques any hacker would use for malicious activity but they do so with due permission from the authorities. They work with viruses and devise measures required to curb them, all under a safe and enclosed environment allowing none of the infection to leak.

The "ethical hackers" test business systems and look for any weak links that could be exploited by hackers. The area between Cheltenham and Hereford is a growing centre for defence, IT and security-related businesses and is also better known as "Cyber Valley".

Source & Image Credit: Malvern 'dirty lab' to tackle cyber crime - BBC News