Politico reports that in response to the wave of cyberattacks around the globe, including against targets in EU countries, the European Commission will present a plan this week to set up the “Joint Cyber Unit,” which would allow EU countries hit by cyberattacks to seek help from other member nations and the EU itself. The plan will apparently also include formation of rapid response teams to counter hackers as the cyberattack is underway. The teams would be overseen by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA).
The move is in response to concerns that the EU has not done enough to defend European interests against cyberattacks launched by adversaries. The EU’s plan is designed to allow member states to effectively “pool” their cybersecurity resources to combat increasingly sophisticated and debilitating attacks. In recent months, the European Medicines Agency was breached, and hospitals in Ireland and France have suffered ransomware attacks.
Nixon Peabody’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Team will continue to monitor developments.