Poll: Has illegally downloading music and videos become an 'acceptable crime'?
Illegal downloading of music and films can be a "gateway" into cyber crime, a senior police officer has said.
Andy Archibald, deputy director of the National Cyber Crime Unit at the National Crime Agency, identified participation in internet piracy as a possible first step towards more serious online activities.
He said: "If you think about the illegal downloading of music, of videos and DVDs, I think that practice is more common than we might imagine within the youth of today.
"That's criminality. "It's almost become acceptable.
"That's the first stages, I believe, of a gateway into the dark side."
He also warned that youngsters with strong technical abilities could be targeted by cyber criminals attempting to recruit new members.
"There are many of our young people, and not only young people, who are becoming highly skilled and capable in a digital environment," he said.
"It's important that they put those skills to good use and are not tempted to become involved, unwittingly in cyber criminality.
"They are members of forums and are exchanging ideas in a marketplace that criminals are looking (at).
"They are looking for people with technical skills who can compliment their criminal business.
"They are looking to recruit those people.
"They try to induce and manipulate them."
Speaking at a conference in London, Mr Archibald described the threat from cyber crime as the biggest threat facing law enforcement agencies.
