EU Commission Eyes Cyber Unit To Fight Large-Scale Attacks

The European Commission is busy forming a Joint Cyber Unit that will help to deal with rising cybercrime, according to a press release.

It will handle cases involving people, businesses and public services, the release stated.

Cybersecurity has become a threat around the world as the pandemic has seen business and life largely move online, which has necessitated “advanced and coordinated” responses, according to the release.

“All relevant actors in the EU need to be prepared to respond collectively and exchange relevant information on a ‘need to share,’ rather than only ‘need to know,’ basis,” the commission stated in the release.

As of Wednesday (June 23), the commission will look to combine resources and bring together a number of experts in order to “prevent, deter and respond to mass cyber incidents and crises,” the release stated. The issue is the separate way in which cybercrime is tackled by law enforcement, civilians and cyber defense communities.

The new Joint Cyber Unit will allow for cooperation both digitally and in person, according to the release.

Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said in the release: “The Joint Cyber Unit is a building block to protect ourselves from growing and increasingly complex cyber threats. We have set clear milestones and timelines that will allow us — together with member states — to concretely improve crisis management cooperation in the EU, detect threats and react faster. It is the operational arm of the European Cyber Shield.”

Europe has reasons to be concerned, as the pandemic saw a doubling of cybercrimes and a 47 percent increase in the number of attacks against hospitals and healthcare networks, PYMNTS reported.

According to experts, the issue was born out of the quick nature in which entities had to move online, making security seemingly an afterthought.