BRUSSELS, July 23 (UPI) -- European security measures online will boost confidence about the defense against large-scale cyberattacks, an EU commissioner said.
The Council of the European Union adopted new rules in support of cyberdefense. The legislation focuses predominately on large-scale attacks on information systems in the EU.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom said the measures would add an important layer of security to Europe's cyberdefense capabilities.
"We all need to work together to achieve the objectives that we have set ourselves," she said in a statement Tuesday. "It is therefore essential that all member states get up to speed and make cybersecurity a top priority."
U.S. and Chinese authorities discussed cybersecurity at the working group level during bilateral meetings in Washington in mid-July.
The U.S. military had suspected its Chinese counterparts were hacking into sensitive computer systems early this year, though the Chinese government denied the allegations.
Cyberattacks have emerged as a threat to national security. The EU directive passed this week improves cross-border cooperation among European security personnel. It calls on members to collect data on cyberattacks and to coordinate more openly with relevant authorities.
