EU executive calls for a 'Cyber Cop'

BRUSSELS: The European Commission urged EU governments on Monday to jointly beef up defenses against cyber attacks to protect large computer networks that run energy and water distribution, air and road traffic control systems, banking and other critical services.

``Cyber attacks have become a tool in the hands of organized crime, a means of blackmailing companies and organizations (and) an instrument of foreign and military policy'' that can threaten democracy and economies, said Viviane Reding, the EU's Commissioner for Information Society matters.

She said while a one-month interruption of key internet services ``in Europe or the United States would mean economic losses of at least euro150 billion ($197 billion),'' EU governments have been ``negligent'' in preparing for cyber attacks.

Reding called for the appointment of an EU ``Cyber Cop'' in a video message marking Monday's opening of a two-day meeting in Talinn, Estonia, where EU governments debate more cyberspace security cooperation through cross-border work and the staging of regular and coordinated large-scale security exercises.

A recent example of security breakdowns in critical networks included the large-scale cyber attacks targeting Estonia in 2007.

The World Economic Forum estimated in 2008 that there is a 10 to 20 percent probability of a major breakdown of critical infrastructure in the next 10 years, with a potential global price tag of some euro250 billion (euro190.4 billion).