EU cybersecurity unit planned to combat rise in costly attacks
The increase of cyberattacks during the Covid-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to protect health and care systems, research centres and other critical infrastructure, the European Commission said. File picture.
A plan for a new EU-wide cybersecurity unit has been unveiled as the bloc attempts to get to grips with the burgeoning criminal phenomenon that costs the global economy around €840bn every year.
The European Commission said it is "laying out a vision to build a new Joint Cyber Unit to tackle the rising number of serious cyber incidents impacting public services, as well as the life of businesses and citizens across the EU".
The plan comes as major attacks have disrupted vital infrastructure across the world in recent years, including Ireland's health system last month.
HSE chief Paul Reid has said it will cost at least €100m to unravel the damage caused by that attack.
The increase of cyberattacks during the Covid-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to protect health and care systems, research centres and other critical infrastructure, the Commission said.
It added: "Advanced and coordinated responses in the field of cybersecurity have become increasingly necessary, as cyberattacks grow in number, scale, and consequences, impacting heavily our security.
"All relevant actors in the EU need to be prepared to respond collectively and exchange relevant information on a ‘need to share', rather than an only ‘need to know', basis."
The fragmented nature of responses to cyberattacks across the EU is hindering attempts to tackle the problem, the Commission said.
"Cybersecurity communities, including civilian, law enforcement, diplomatic and cyber defence communities, as well as private sector partners, too often operate separately.
"With the Joint Cyber Unit, they will have a virtual and physical platform of co-operation: relevant EU institutions, bodies and agencies together with the member states will build progressively a European platform for solidarity and assistance to counter large-scale cyberattacks," it said.
The plan is expected to be formed by June next year, and be ready to go fully by June 2023, according to the Commission.
According to a recent report from cybersecurity firm McAfee, global losses from cybercrime now total over $1trn (€837bn) every year, a more than 50% increase from 2018.
Two thirds of surveyed companies reported some kind of cyber incident in 2019, with an average interruption to operations at 18 hours.
The average cost was more than $500,000 per incident, McAfee said.
More than 25% said the firms has suffered reputational and brand damage as they attempted to recover in the aftermath of an attack, the report found.
EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said: "Cybersecurity is a cornerstone of a digital and connected Europe.
"And in today's society, responding to threats in a coordinated manner is paramount. The Joint Cyber Unit will contribute to that goal."
