Internet users have been warned by technology experts to use whatever protection is available to them to curb the rising number of security breaches.

Fraud experts told a conference on the Gold Coast today you can’t stop identity theft and on line hacking but the best form of attack against the criminals is defence.

Zoe Knobel reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The number of online hacking incidents is on the rise and even authorities admit there’s little they can do.

Head of Queensland Police fraud squad Brian Hay said the majority of security breaches aren’t even reported.

Detective Superintendent Brian Hay, QLD Police Fraud Squad: “The volume that is lost is not being accurately accounted for.”

He says identity theft and credit card fraud were two areas proving the most challenging.

Detective Superintendent Brian Hay, QLD Police Fraud Squad: “We know that the crooks are targeting identity information through social networking sites.”

An exclusively male Facebook group called the ‘Brocial Network’ gained notoriety this week for men sharing racy photos of their female friends with strangers.

Media and law expert Peter Black says, despite the tastelessness of the group, no crime has been committed.

Peter Black, Media Law Expert: “You are giving effectively a non-exclusive license to Facebook and to other Facebook users to use and download and to share those photos.”

And he questioned whether legislation would make a difference.

Peter Black, Media Law Expert: “I don’t really think that’s the answer or the solution from a public policy point of view I think the answer is that individuals need to be careful and aware.”

Internet users on the streets of Brisbane agreed.

Vox 1: ” I wouldn’t put any photos up that I wasn’t happy for anybody to see. I think if I had photos I was worried about I’d keep them private to myself.”

Vox 2: “I always kind of make sure who I add are real friends, you know, not people who are just friends of friends because I wouldn’t trust them with my information.”

Vox 3: “I suppose if you put your whole life history online and you expose it to the world I guess you are asking for it.”

If the experts say they’ll never get ahead of cyber crime its a case of posting at your own peril.

Zoe Knobel, QUT News.