$81.5 billion for online security

LONDON: Britain warned of a growing risk to military and business secrets from computer spies yesterday and pledged to toughen cyber security to protect the $81.5 billion spent each year online in its economy.

Launching the first national cyber security strategy, security minister Alan West said hostile states and criminals were increasingly attacking British interests online.

It was "horrifyingly easy" for online data to be obtained illicitly, West, a junior minister at the Home Office, said. "It's becoming a bigger and bigger issue."