Germany approves cyber security policy ; ‘Special Squads’ for protection against cyber-attacks.

Berlin: While the German Chancellor Angela Merkel was giving indications about cyber attacks from Russia, the German Council of Ministers has given approval for a new cyber security policy. As a reply to the cyber attacks in the country, the new policy has also approved setting up ‘special squads‘. Within a week Germany is the second nation in Europe who has declared an independent cyber-security policy. Only last week Britain had declared a cyber-security policy worth more than 2 billion dollars.

Germany’s internal Minister of Defense , Thomas De Maizière informed about the approval given to the new cyber-security policy. The new policy mentions of setting up ‘special squads‘ as a security against the cyber attacks as well as a measure to retaliate the attacks. These ‘special squads’ have been named ‘Mobile Incident Response Teams’ (MIRT). These teams would function under ‘Federal Office for Information Security ‘ (BSI).

Apart from these teams, ’special units’ and ‘mobile teams’ are being set up for the German police and the internal security machinery. Henceforth, the ‘Cyber Defense Centre‘ in Germany will function under the internal Defense Ministry. This Centre has been assigned the responsibility of maintaining a balance and coordination amongst various agencies. About five years back Germany had established the ‘National Cyber Defense Centre‘.

In this new policy, emphasis would be given to information sharing specially pertaining to cyber threats and broadening cooperation between Government and non government agencies. The policy also gives stress to create an awareness of cyber threats in the business sector and how strict measures should be taken to counter these threats. The cyber security policy will focus on sectors like energy, water supply, health services, transport and digital routing systems.

Messages are being sent by different sections in Government to develop competency in cyber sectors as a measure to understand cyber security. Special facilities and education will be provided in schools and information sectors regarding cyber security. While providing information about the new cyber security policy the Internal Defense Minister, Thomas De Maiziere also mentioned about cyber threats the country is facing.

Majority of the cyber attacks in Germany are coming from groups and organisations from outside Germany, he said, but claimed that Russia and China are in the forefront in these attacks. He reemphasized a possibility of cyber attacks in Germany during the coming election as already stated by the Chancellor Merkel. He further cautioned about the use of ‘social bots‘ accounts which have been generated by robots on social media. The radical political party, ‘Alternative for Germany‘ has clearly indicated the use of ‘social bots‘ in the next election.In this context Maiziere’s remark seems noteworthy.