Lego board game is police´s latest weapon in fight against cyber crime

Police have unveiled the latest weapon in the fight against cyber crime – a Lego board game.

The “deliberately low-tech” toy is being used to teach businesses the potentially disastrous consequences of weak computer security measures, such as insecure passwords and out-of-date software.

Officers said there would be a “really, really significant” drop in crimes like online fraud if members of the public and businesses tightened security.

Exercises have been run with 13 companies, eight other police forces and 33 teams within the Met (Yui Mok/PA)

Exercises have been run with 13 companies, eight other police forces and 33 teams within the Met (Yui Mok/PA)

The game has already been used in sessions with companies including Tata Steel and Quintain, as well as Scotland Yard’s management team, including Commissioner Cressida Dick.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Miles said: “By and large, individuals and organisations have the technology.

“By and large, individuals and organisations know which processes they’ve got to use – the vulnerability is the people.”

The game, developed with academics from the University of Bristol, involves teams acting as the senior management team of a company, and choosing how to spend their cyber security budget.

An expert guides them through each stage, explaining the good or bad consequences of each choice.

Since it was first used in June last year, exercises have been run with 13 companies, eight other police forces and 33 teams within the Met.

The team plan to hold another 18 events in the next two months.

Last week the Home Office warned that millions of people were “vastly underestimating” the threat of being hit by computer hackers, and failing to take even basic steps to protect themselves.

Mr Miles said: “You know what would happen if you left your front door unlocked and went out.

“In the online space, your front door is your router – do you know the result if you leave that unlocked?”

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