"Plod" is a slang word used in the UK to describe the police, like "PC Plod". It tends to be used in an informal or humorous way like "...along comes Plod", meaning the police or a policeman arrived. It also conjurs up images of "plodding along", like a policeman slowly walking the beat perhaps.
It's not the most complimentary of terms and is often used in a derisory way. So being used in this context, whereby civilians are helping police combat cyber crime, suggests that they may be rather amateurish and could be the butt of jokes.
This is from the Evening Standard
The civilians, dubbed "iPlods", will join police forces across the country to work at least 16 hours a month to target cyber criminals.
A small number of "cyber-Specials" already work for the Metropolitan Police's central e-crime unit but ministers now want to deploy more to beef up the UK's cyber defences.
They will be trained in intelligence and analysis work, processing forensic material and will be used in search and arrest teams. Home Office minister James Brokenshire said: "The Metropolitan Police has helped lead the way in the fight against cyber crime. We want to encourage other forces to make use of such cyber-specials."
The recruitment drive is part of the Government's new cyber security strategy unveiled today which also includes using expertise developed at the GCHQ spy centre to help to boost economic growth.
The Government has committed £650 million to improve cyber security over the next four years. Whitehall and some companies are under constant attack from cyber criminals from countries such as China and Russia.
This is from the Press Association
The listening post at Cheltenham is to look at commercial applications for encryption techniques and other expertise that is not considered top secret.
The move is part of the Government's cyber security strategy, designed to tackle the "real and growing" threat from criminals, terrorists, and hostile states.
A new national police Cyber Crime Unit will also be created by 2013, and forces are being urged to recruit more special constables with relevant skills - nicknamed 'iPlods'.
The strategy document says GCHQ's "world-class expertise in cyber security" should be used to "benefit economic growth". It will explore working "with private sector partners to explore the potential commercial applications".
A Government-sponsored venture capital model could also be set up to help fund innovation in cyber security in small and medium-sized enterprises. However, the strategy stresses that none of the activities will "compromise the agency's core security and intelligence mission".
Officials are understood to have in mind instances where GCHQ has come up with cutting-edge technology, such as encryption systems, decades before it has emerged commercially.
The organisation has been barred from exploiting its innovations even when they no longer need to be secret.
The Government's National Security Strategy last year classed cyber-security as one of the UK's top defence priorities, alongside terrorism, international military crises and natural disasters. Concerns have been raised about sophisticated attacks seemingly mounted by states such as China and Russia against key infrastructure.
A new Defence Cyber Operations Group is being set up in the Ministry of Defence to develop "military cyber capabilities" for countering threats. It is understood it will also consider "proactive" responses, which could include retaliation in kind. The unit will look at drafting in reservists with specialist knowledge and skills.