Britain creates counterattack EDP unit

Summary: The British Government will follow the footsteps of the United States and create a military unit dedicated to launch counter-attacks against hackers.

The British Government plans to recruit hundreds of specialists to defend basic infrastructure against cyber threats, conservative Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said Sunday.

Credit: CNET

According to Reuters, speaking at the annual Conference of the conservative party, Hammond said that the United Kingdom was devoting additional resources and funds to the construction of a network of intelligence and strong Cyber surveillance.

As cybercrime continues to prove a lucrative way for hackers steal valuable data for profit or as part of the State--and many government-sponsored work strives to achieve and protecting networks against increasing attacks - funds from the defense budget now needs to consider not only physical threats, but the digital war. Hammond said:

"Last year our cyber defences block around 400,000 Advanced malicious cyber threats on the internet of the Government only, so the threat is real. But it is not simply enough building cyber defenses: as in other domains of war, also have to deter. Britain will build a capacity dedicated to the counter-attack on cyberspace and if necessary to strike in cyberspace. "

In February, the National Audit Office had called "to address the current ICT and future of the United Kingdom and missing cybersecurity" as a "key challenge.". The NAO report was published as part of the United Kingdom 650 million pounds sterling of cyber-security strategy plan and said that it could take "20 years" to address skills gap at all levels of education.

Not only could in the future a working group devoted offensive security experts deter hackers, but the Defense Secretary said that the cyberstrikes mail could work "along with conventional weapons" in future conflicts this Sunday, disabling communications, nuclear weapons, ships and critical hardware.

To set up the new force of cyber security, the United Kingdom will hire experts in their hundreds in a number of fields. Recruitment campaign will include civilian computer experts who will form part of the "joint Cyber reserve", and its role will be to work together with members of the Ministry of defence and communications to protect critical infrastructure and prevent data theft.

The cost of the program was not revealed, but recruitment is expected to begin in October.

Hammond said:

"Increasingly, our defense budget is being invested in high-end capabilities such as Cybernetics, active intelligence and surveillance to ensure that we can keep the country safe. Cyber stocks will be an essential part of ensuring that we defend our national security in cyberspace. This is an exciting opportunity for Internet experts in the industry to put their skills to good use for the nation, to protect our vital computer systems and capabilities".

The United Kingdom is also looking for ways to train the next generation of cyberspecialists. In may, two universities U.K.-- the University of Oxford and Royal Holloway University - awarded £7. 5m in funding to help develop the country skills in online security. Learning in cybersecurity is also due to be offered this year by E-Skills, Council of skills of the sector of the United Kingdom for business and information technology.

Topics: Security, Government of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom

London medical anthropologist Charlie Osborne is journalist, graphic designer, and former teacher.

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