Intellectual Property Threat "Real and Credible", Warns GCHQ Chief

According to GCHQ (Government Communication Headquarters) director Iain Lobban, Britain faces a big challenge in overcoming cyber attacks with around 20,000 malicious emails sent each month to government networks alone.

Although the GCHQ is usually associated with intelligence gathering, Mr Lobban also took time to express his concerns regarding the economy’s vulnerability to assault from hostile states and criminals, including the theft of intellectual property on a "massive" scale.  The GCHQ has called upon the government and telecommunications industry to collaborate on the threat to ensure the protection of intellectual property against this "real and credible" threat.

Speaking to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Mr Lobban stated his belief that in order to flourish, a knowledge economy needs to protect from exploitation the intellectual property at the heart of the creative and hi-tech industry sectors by developing a quicker response to cyber events.

Whether it's a unique brand, an innovative process, a new invention, a design, a database, proprietary software or a copyright work, intellectual property (IP) is a vital aspect of every business.  At Muckle LLP, we know how hard businesses work to set themselves apart from the rest. We're here to help you make sure that your IP rights are properly protected, both through registration, by way of formal agreements, or a combination of the two.

For further information please contact Gill Hunter, call 0191 211 7944 or alternatively email us at [email protected].

(sourced from BBC News, 14 and 18/10/2010)