EU sets up anti-hacker team of IT security experts

(BRUSSELS) - The EU said Friday it has set up a new anti-hacker team of cyber fire-fighters after a string of recent attacks, one of which saw 30 million euros' worth of carbon credits stolen.

The 10-strong team of IT security experts will guard against repeats of attacks on sensitive information, for example on the eurozone debt crisis, such as occurred on the eve of the last summit of national leaders in March.

"Cyber-attacks are a very real and ever-increasing threat... (that) can paralyse key infrastructure and cause huge long-term damage," said European Union digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes.

Trading on the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme was frozen on January 19 after computer hackers stole two million certificates from national registries, the thieves then selling the credits.

Another halt was ordered in trading in numerous countries last year after "phishing" emails tricked users into divulging their passwords, while a VAT scam in 2008 and 2009 netted criminals five million euros.