EU calls for cyber-security tsar

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 28 Apr 2009 at 10:51

The EU's telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, claims Europe needs a cyber-security tsar to defend itself from the growing threats on the web.

Speaking in her weekly video address, Reding claimed the EU's 27 member states had been "quite negligent" in protecting their communications networks and cited the 2007 cyber attacks on Estonia as evidence of the threat.

"Key information systems [in] Estonia, were attacked by thousands of computers from abroad: the websites of administrations, parliament, banks, newspapers and broadcasters were swamped," said Reding.

"Cyber attacks have become a tool in the hands of organised crime, a means of blackmailing companies and organisations, of exploiting the weakness of people, but also an instrument of foreign and military policy, and globally a challenge to democracy and economy... A one month-long internet interruption in Europe or the US would mean economic losses of at least 150 billion euros."

Reding wants a "European headquarters of defence against cyber attacks headed by a Mister Cyber Security as we have a Mister Foreign Affairs, a security tsar with authority to act immediately if a cyber attack is underway, a cyber cop in charge of the
coordination of our forces and of developing tactical plans to improve our level of resilience."