Lord Broers

Lord Broers Crossbench Peer. Chairman of the select committee on science and technology. President of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He was also Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University. He was a pioneer of nanotechnology and the first person to use the scanning electron microscope for the fabrication of micro-miniature structures.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/lduncorr/s&tii170107.pdf Questions asked to Microsoft

Some open source software, such as Red Hat Linux, is shipped with builtin firewall protection, and that has been the case for years, I believe. Why is Microsoft only now following this route?

DRM

Peter Gutmann has recently suggested that you have seriously compromised the security and stability of Vista in order to provide content protection for premium content. How do you react to that?

News

2007-08-10 - The Register - 'Wild West' internet needs a sheriff: Author: John Leyden; Summary: The government needs to do more to protect ordinary users from cybercrime and safeguard the growth of e-commerce, according to a report from the House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee. ... Lord Broers, chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, said: "The internet is increasingly perceived as a sort of 'wild west', outside the law. People are said to fear e-crime more than mugging. That needs to change, or else confidence in the internet could be destroyed." "You can't just rely on individuals to take responsibility for their own security. They will always be out-foxed by the bad guys. We feel many of the organisations profiting from internet services now need to take their share of the responsibility. That includes the IT industry and the software vendors, the banks and internet traders, and ISPs." Lord Broers acknowledged that enacting laws alone won't make for improved internet security. Nonetheless, he argued that government had a role to play in providing incentives to the private sector and by putting more resources into law enforcement. "The state also needs to do more to protect the public, not only the government itself, but regulators like Ofcom, the police, and the court system," he added.

2007-08-10 - BBC News - Government 'must act on e-crime': Summary: The government must do more to protect internet users from the threat of e-crime, says a House of Lords report. ... Lord Broers, chairman of the committee that published the Personal Internet Security report. "You can't just rely on individuals to take responsibility for their own security. They will always be out-foxed by the bad guys." ... "You can't legislate for better internet security. But the government can put in place incentives for the private sector to up their game. And they can invest in better data protection and law enforcement," said Lord Broers.

2007-08-10 - Lords Science and Technology Committee - Goverment must act now to maintain confidence in the internet: Summary: The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee have today highlighted the threat to the future of the Internet posed by e-crime, and have argued that the Government must do more to protect individual Internet users. ... Lord Broers, Chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, said: "We are firm believers in the Internet. It is a huge force for good. But it relies on the confidence of millions of users. At the moment it seems that the Internet is increasingly perceived as a sort of 'wild west', outside the law. People are said to fear e-crime more than mugging. That needs to change, or else confidence in the Internet could be destroyed." "You can't just rely on individuals to take responsibility for their own security. They will always be out-foxed by the bad guys. We feel many of the organisations profiting from Internet services now need to take their share of the responsibility. That includes the IT industry and the software vendors, the banks and Internet traders, and the Internet Service Providers." "The state also needs to do more to protect the public, not only the government itself, but regulators like Ofcom, the police and the court system." "You can't legislate for better Internet security. But the Government can put in place incentives for the private sector to up their game. And they can invest in better data protection and law enforcement. It's time to act now, before it's too late."

2007-04-26 - The Register - Peer calls for UK cyber-crime portal: Author: John Leyden; Summary: A parliamentary committee set up to look at trends in cybercrime is considering the establishment of a website allowing people to report electronic crime. Lord Broers, chairman of the science and technology select committee, said the idea is one of several his committee is considering in its study on e-crime, which is due to report in the summer. The committee will also consider whether changes in UK legislation might be needed in order to fight against hackers, VXers, phishers, and other cyber crooks.

2007-04-24 - BBC News - Lords offer new angle on e-crime: Summary: A website for people to report cyber-crime is one idea being considered by a government committee set up to look at internet security. ... Speaking at a conference in London, chairman Lord Broers hinted at new laws to deal with breaches of data. ... He told delegates at InfoSecurity 2007 that a website along the lines of the US based Internet Crime Complaint Center which allows US citizens to report e-crime could be set up in the UK.

2006-07-28 - The Register - Lords Committee to debate internet security: Author: John Oates; Summary: The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is to investigate personal internet security. They are calling on members of the public with direct experience to get in touch. The Committee claims this is the first in-depth Parliamentary study of the issue. Lord Broers, chairman of Committee, said: "We are doing more and more online, from our weekly grocery shop to banking to downloading music and video and, increasingly, using the internet to make [a] telephone call. Those who haven't done so are being encouraged to get online - but how many of us know about the risks?"

2006-07-28 - Lords Science and Technology Committee - Lords science and technology committee to investigate personal internet internet security: Summary: The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee are this week launching a new inquiry into personal internet security. With the ever growing use of home computers, the spread of broadband, and the rise in internet banking and commerce the importance of proper internet security measures has never been greater. ... Commenting, Lord Broers Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, said: "We are doing more and more online, from our weekly grocery shop to banking to downloading music and video and, increasingly, using the internet to make telephone call. Those who haven’t yet done so are being encouraged to get online - but how many of us know about the risks?" "Technology is changing so fast that no-one seems to have had time to step back and look in the round at the emerging threats to personal security, and the ways society might counter them." "This inquiry gives Parliament a chance to do just that."

2004-12-13 - Lords Science and Technology Committee - New chairman for lords committee: Summary: Lord Broers has been appointed Chairman of the prestigious House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee. Lord Broers, who is also President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, is the latest in a line of distinguished scientists and engineers to chair the committee. He replaces Lord Oxburgh, who has reached the end of his 3-year term of office. Lord Broers’ chairmanship will run for up to four years. Lord Broers said: "I am delighted to be taking over the chairmanship of the Science and Technology Committee at this crucial time." "The science and technology bases in the UK are strong, but face many challenges − from maintaining our strength in research and finding appropriate ways to utilise new advances in medicine or genetic research, to maintaining our transport and power infrastructures."