Europe plans cyber-security agency

The European Commission is set to announce Europe's first cyber-security agency.

Proposals will be published on Monday for a European network and information security agency, which the Commission hopes will raise levels of IT security and act as a central exchange for information on security.

The European Council of Telecommunications Ministers has approved the agency's creation, making its launch later this year a formality.

A spokesman for the Commission told vnunet.com's sister title Computing that the agency will have a strongly practical remit.

It will avoid policy-making and concentrate on helping businesses and governments to fight security threats, such as the SQL Slammer worm.

Duties will include:

• Co-ordinating the work of public and private computer emergency response teams.
• Helping to distribute warnings of security threats and information about software fixes.
• Acting as a centre of excellence for information security.
• Publicising security best-practice procedures and standards.

Lorenzo Valeri, a security policy specialist at researcher Rand Europe, indicated that the agency's practical remit is good news for businesses and government agencies.

"We have to create a culture of security right across the continent, and this will help," he said.