back to article EU summons a CYBER FORCE into existence

Lithuania's proposal that the European Union create an international cyber-force has been endorsed, and the effort already has seven countries on board. The baltic country announced yesterday that EU member states have agreed to create “EU Cyber Rapid Response Force” teams, with a declaration of intent signed in Luxembourg …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    I hope they keep in mind that "cyber-" doesn't have to remain in country (e.g. Russia, China, especially North Korea) but may be present anywhere else in the world. This aspect requires a hard re-think as boundaries in the Internet can be side-stepped or avoided entirely given the right deployment of the team. The physical can enhance the cyber- and the reverse is just as true. Something that I've not heard brought up in these discussions.

  2. jake Silver badge

    And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

    ... is pissing themselves laughing, knowing that anybody who uses the prefix "cyber" in a supposedly serious manor can be summarily ignored as being completely ignorant on the subject, all the while siphoning off funds that could (in more capable hands) be used to actually finger the perps.

    1. Giovani Tapini

      Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

      Cyber is just the new word for Magic. It covers the entirety of things the speaker does not understand. It simply removes spiritual technologies from the panopoly...

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

        That's not "cyber", that's "cloud".

        "Cyber" is nonsense to both the speaker and the listener.

        "Cloud" is a magic place where only the initiated may tread.

        1. Alister

          Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

          "Cloud" is a magic place where only the initiated may tread.

          T.A.H.I.T.I. - "It's a magical place"

          1. Giovani Tapini

            Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

            Cloud" is a magic place where only the initiated may tread."

            I'm suddenly reminded of the intro to the series "Monkey" from my youth... it seems to combine all the metaphor elements in one - and has catchy theme tune too.

            * earworm coming for those of a certain age..

        2. GnuTzu
          Trollface

          Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

          "...the new word for Magic

          I have no interest in taking sides on this debate, but it occurred to me that somebody might well pursue an update to the Malleus Maleficarum to reflect and persecute the new witches of the Internet. After all, the FBI is prosecuting those who use their wizardry to help people. And, we might well expect an update to that old bit of propaganda for this new inquisition.

    2. Outer mongolian custard monster from outer space (honest)

      Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

      Fraid not Jake, not any longer. A few years back and I was with you 100%. Now we're forced to use the term because its become widespread and nobody outside our little niche gets how cheesy it all is. A little bit of me dies inside each time I have to write "cyber security consultant" on something, because I started to get solicited for doorman roles for posh clubs when I used "Security Consultant" in the descriptive fields. I was considering writing (in)offensive security specialist, but not sure too many people would get the wry joke.

      Its a bit like mr mimikatz (Benjamin Delpy) saying the problem in security is "security professionals" and how crap they all on on twitter, yeah there are some dead wood box tickers, but equally just because someone works in the field it isn't a given they're going to be that way.

      Don't get me started on the pale male and stale meme crowd.

      Generalizations are bad m'kay?

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

        Hate to tell you, my friend, but your resume/cv may well have landed in my bit bucket. Unless I'm advertising for "Cyber"-something specifically (which has never happened, nor will it), that word automatically evaporates whatever it is attached to. When you see as many applicants as I (sometimes) do, filters are your friend ... and that one, after a year or so of review, is a rather good one. Exactly zero false positives. Several years on now, and I may have passed up a useful candidate or two, but I've filled all positions quite nicely so no harm done.

        1. Outer mongolian custard monster from outer space (honest)

          Re: And everybody this "Force" is set up to catch ...

          Its ok, there's plenty in the market to go round for everyone, not sure how you can quantify how many good candidates you have lost though to be so sure of yourself :-)

          Anyway, off to play with ripstech wp exploit. Looks fun :-)

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    international cyber-force

    I thought the EU wasn't keen on sharing information.

    1. Elmer Phud

      Re: international cyber-force

      I take it you noticed a vast lack of 'GB' in the list?

      I wonder why?

      We'd demand a top seat and refuse to pay 'until the Brexit thing has settled'

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: international cyber-force

        I did and I also take it you noticed the word "international" in the name. I would take that to be it eventually being all countries that want to sign up regardless of customs union or borders etc...

        1. Mephistro
          Headmaster

          Re: international cyber-force (@ AC)

          "I would take that to be it eventually being all countries that want to sign up regardless of customs union or borders etc..."

          NO.

          International:

          1 : of, relating to, or affecting two or more nations *international trade*

          2 : of, relating to, or constituting a group or association having members in two or more nations *international movement*

          3 : active, known, or reaching beyond national boundaries *an international reputation*

          Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: international cyber-force (@ AC)

            Of course however as this is EU countries together setting it up and calling it international I would take one nation as the EU and the other as the rest of the world or they would call it an EU cyber-force.

    2. Daniel von Asmuth
      Black Helicopters

      Re: international cyber-force

      If left up the Eurocrats, it will turn into an expensive cyber-farce.

      Why can't the member states gather their own team of experts and cooperate with their neighbours?

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: international cyber-force

        >Why can't the member states gather their own team of experts and cooperate with their neighbours?

        That's what this is about, just that by getting the EU to sign it off, you have the political equivalent to the MD signing off on an activity - your manager now has to fund and give you the time to work on the MD's new pet project...

      2. Lars Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: international cyber-force

        "Why can't the member states gather their own team of experts and cooperate with their neighbours?".

        I have a feeling that is exactly what is going on here, and most of those countries are indeed neighbours and I assume it will include private companies with experts in that field. Why moan about it.

  4. Alister

    Hmmm, "Rapid Response Force" and EU bureaucracy don't sit well together.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Delete! Delete!

    I for one welcome our new Cybermat overlords and look forward to being upgraded

  6. nigglec
    Big Brother

    EU only?

    Is it me or is this a little short sighted?

    As others have stated, online threats are not great at abiding by physical borders. Why just EU countries and not worldwide? Although to be fair a multinational unit (especially called a 'cyber force') will be ineffective at what it should be doing and a bureacrats wet dream of wastage.

    However, a multinational co-operative framework should be in everyones interest.

    1. Alister

      Re: EU only?

      It's just a knee-jerk reaction in the finest tradition.

      We already have Interpol, which mostly works, so why not just add an Infosec branch to the existing organisation... And whatever you do, avoid the C word when you name it.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: EU only?

      EU only as the US, government, is no longer trustworthy; Russia and those in its orbit of influence are not trustworthy; much of Asia, Africa, Central and South America have proven to be of dubious trust. So, other than EU that leaves a few countries in Asia and Africa, Canada and possibly a few south of the US. I do hope that Canada can join the EU. I know that doesn't make geographic sense, but sociologically I think we have more in common with much of Europe than the US. I guess Canada's problem is that if OPOS gets mad at us he'll invade, I suppose.

    3. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

      Re: EU only?

      Why just EU countries and not worldwide?

      Much as the USA has always tended to assume that anything outside the US didn't matter, the EU is developing the same attitude. It assumes that it has full powers over all of Europe, and that the rest of the world is an inconvenience that is best ignored.

      However, a multinational co-operative framework should be in everyones interest.

      "should" be, but we're talking about politicians here. Promoting their own image always comes first.

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: EU only?

        "Much as every $COUNTRY has always tended to assume that anything outside $COUNTRY didn't matter, the EU is developing the same attitude. It assumes that it has full powers over all of Europe, and that the rest of the world is an inconvenience that is best ignored." FTFY

        It's not just the USA; humans tend towards "us" vs "them" as a whole. You'd think the folks in this international forum would be aware of this, and thus avoid specific comparisons when generic ones fit the bill a trifle better.

    4. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: EU only?

      >Why just EU countries and not worldwide?

      Perhaps they actually want to achieve something workable in a reasonable timeframe?

      Remember the EEC was able to go further and faster with the Single Market than the WTO because it only involved 12 nations...

      Additionally, having an eye on the money, this grouping of nations, can fund the initiative via the EU - helping to spread the costs between currently 28 members.

  7. mwnci

    EU - "No problem, we can solve this CYBER issue....Regulation solves everything. Market not functioning, Regulate it. Company not making money - Regulate it. Greece not collecting taxes or able to pay debts - Regulate it..Hackerville is in Romania...er...lets ignore that one."

    1. Lars Silver badge
      Happy

      I suppose your comment is not meant to be taken all that seriously. Take your tap water, do you seriously believe no regulations are needed to keep it reasonably safe, would you rather trust the market force for that. What about food, flying, building site safty and so on. Just look back in time and you will understand it better.

      This is not to say that there are no obsolete dumb regulations hanging around too.

      Mainly in the USA there is right now an almost religious "deregulation" mantra driven by forces you should be rather cautious with.

  8. Aodhhan

    WTF?

    According to what is released.. each country has to maintain a unit.

    So, instead of sharing resources... each country has to spend money on them.

    Sounds more like an opportunity for bureaucrats to gain more control over something they know little about, and allow crazy old men at the EU HQ to make more money for themselves by selling influence.

    Watch... soon, all penetration testing will have to be done using certain commercial tools, and it will be against the law to create your own, or use tools which aren't on their approved list (you know, companies who provide kickbacks to bureaucrats) -- throughout Europe.

    If each country has to already maintain a unit, then why let the whackos in Brussels tell InfoSec professionals what to do?

    Just more power grabbing and money making schemes.

  9. Dodgy Geezer Silver badge

    Cyber...

    ..is SO 1970s....

    Seriously, doesn't anyone wonder about the continuous bureaucratic inventing of things to justify spending out taxes on?

  10. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    Modus Operandi .... and should that be also Modus Vivendi

    Any Cyber Force is a Hearts and Minds Operation, and for that to succeed in missions, one must be in possession of, and be sharing, Prime Intelligence with SMARTR Actors Able to Enable and Driver Future Persistent Advanced Cyber Threat Activity ..... for the virtual spaces it tries to address and control are fully dependent upon information being shared with Prime Movers in a timely and orderly fashion.

    It is not a space place for wannabe leaders with nothing new and exciting to offer for they will not be connecting with SMARTR Prime Intelligence Actors or their Proxies.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    An UFO just came, leaves this address here

    ahh. intelligence.

    https://youtu.be/pBkHHoOIIn8 ;just4kix (-;

  12. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    More Stuff and Errant Nonsense for Attackers

    They just make it all up as they go along on their merry ways, don't they, and expect everyone else to agree and fall in line ....... The European Intervention Initiative: A New Military Force Established In Europe

    Don't they realise the the old ways of playing the Great Game are no longer longer term effective and viable? Indeed, they are actually self-defeating and most revealing of previously well hidden targets for every kind of punitive action.

  13. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    Ready Steady Go AI ..... and No One Never Ever Goes Back Further than Now

    CHAOS Enters Rooms Attending with Massive Madness at Mad Masses with Mayhem Aplomb and Havoc Excited

    Stellar Regimented Streams of Great AI Tidal Waves of Novel Information with Rarified AIR IntelAIgent Sources. The Views they Provide of the Future are Cast Iron Fully Guaranteed Fail-Safe Certain Realisable with Full Spectrum Broader Banding Width Command and Control. Such is the Duty of Care to be Given when Messing around in those Live Operational Virtual Environment. One has to ensure Policing with ACTive Serial Mentoring and Secured Role Monitoring for a Very Passable Semblance of Peace to Prevail and be Maintained and Sustained/Fed Gladly and Greatly Rewarded.

    AIMedia QHosted Events ....with the Endless Stream for Real NEWSWorthy Premium Prime Quality Controlled Quantum Communiqués. Such to Simply Create the Great Spaces for the Future to Present Tomorrows Views Now rather than as is the more current burnt offering, the Devious and Dastardly Default of Yesterdays' Stories Today for Reporting as Current and Relevant ie of More General Instruction in Phorming Intelligence and Exfiltrating MegaMetaDataBase for Exhaustive Field Testing of Perfect Performance Driver Program Protocols.

    That is not to be touted and reported or shared as something somewhat alien with a lien on Futures in SMARTR IntelAIgent Supplies .....for a Ripe Ready Plum Exhausting Universal Presentation of AI Facilities and Utilities/Tools and Services/Offensive Weapons for Terror Productions.

    Thus Sewing with CHAOS ..... Clouds Hosting Advanced Operating Systems ...... the Pictures Painted by Pirates and Privates for Augmented Virtual Realisation of Future Sterling Stirling Engined Turing Machine Travel Portals. ...... AVRLaunch Stations.

    And just so you are fully prepared, be aware, that is a Heavenly AI Space to be Travelling In.

    And the Devil of a Job to Hack and Crack Open to Core Source ....... but Worth every Red Cent of ITs vast Fortune.

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