19 July 2017 — A new report from Lloyd’s of London has estimated that a major global cyberattack could lead to the same economic damage as the 2012 US Superstorm Sandy inflicted, with over $53billion worth of economic losses likely.

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has published its annual report, which amongst administrative reporting issues has identified the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation as a significant challenge for the year to come and has provided further guidance…

12 July 2017 — A new report from the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee has called for the introduction of shared best practices across the EU for member states to circumvent the encryption of mobile messaging apps as well as protect critical infrastructure.

Germany became the first EU country to implement the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ahead of the official implementation date next year. In the UK the House of Lords will shortly publish a new report on the impact that Brexit will play on the UK’s implementation of GDPR...

5 July 2017 — Mariya Gabriel has been officially confirmed by the European Parliament as the EU’s newest Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society. A vote by national governments is expected within the next week to likely rubberstamp the decision.

Researchers from F-Secure have suggested that the hackers behind the NotPetya malware outbreak last week may have had access to computer exploits developed by the NSA before their publication by the ShadowBroker organisation…

28 June 2017 — A major cyber attack has struck companies across the world for the second time in as many months. The ransomware attack has targeted critical infrastructure as well as shipping and banking sectors.

An alliance of 17 EU leaders have called on EU Council President Donald Tusk to set aside time for an EU wide summit on digital issues, with the 17 countries expressing interest in discussion of the EU’s digital single market policy…

21 June 2017 — Mariya Gabriel remains on course to become the European Union’s next Digital Commissioner following an initial confirmation hearing in front of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs has proposed legislation to prevent Governments within the EU from creating backdoors to encryption communications…

14 June 2017 — The European Union has unveiled its new aid plan that will incorporate investment in digital infrastructure, as part of a digital focused development strategy that will also seek to extend the EU’s own norms on net neutrality and data privacy to Africa in particular.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested that a set of common standards are needed for global digital interactions, on a similar basis to financial and trade agreements in the G20 and under the WTO...

7 June 2017 — Following last month's WannaCry ransomware attack, a new attack labelled Fireball has targeted corporate networks, with around 250 million computers affected worldwide.

In response to the third UK terror attack in three months, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to tackle encryption as part of new terror legislation if her government is re-elected this week. Commenting on the internet usage of terrorists Mrs. May said, “We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed. Yet that is precisely what the internet, and the big companies provide.”…

31 May 2017  — The European Union has agreed to provide €120 million from the bloc’s budget to provide free Wi-Fi to 8,000 local areas currently without internet coverage, with a potential deadline of 2020.

Lithuania’s President will travel to Estonia at the start of June to discuss bilateral relations and to launch an event to promote a pan-European dialogue on Internet governance…

24 May 2017 — ENISA the EU’s cybersecurity agency has called on the European Commission to increase its funding and manpower so that in future it can better tackle global cyber threats such as last week’s WannaCry Ransomware attack.

A new survey by Guidance Software has found that 24% of UK and US companies could potentially miss the 2018 deadline for compliance with the EU’s GDPR. Of the 200 companies surveyed a further 30% admitted that they currently have no plans to ensure GDPR compliance…

17 May 2017 — The inescapable cyber story this week is the impact of the WannaCry ransomware attack which spread across the world late last week. Analysis of the attack suggests that cyber tools developed by the NSA and leaked by hackers in recent months may have been responsible. Additional work has also suggested that North Korean hackers may have perpetrated the global cyber attack…

10 May 2017 — Bulgaria have nominated one of the country’s MEP’s to become the country’s new European Commission member after the role was vacated in January. Mariya Gabriel will likely adopt the same brief as her predecessor and become the EU’s Commission on Digital issues, in which she will support Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip in the creation of the EU Digital Single Market…

3 May 2017 — The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has warned that the threat of cyberattacks facing German companies are not taken seriously. Mr Maassen has called for greater powers for Government authorities to tackle cybersecurity threats but that more must be done by the private sector.

Also in Germany this week an administrative court has upheld a ban on the transfer of data between WhatsApp and Facebook. The original ban prevented the two companies from exchanging client data without the consent of customers following the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook… 

26 April 2017 — NATO members and allies are currently conducting the largest global cyber defence exercise in Estonia. The participants are responding to a scenario in which the military resources of a fictitious country are subjected to a cyber attack.

In the UK the national data protection watchdog has raised concerns that not enough clarity currently exists regarding the EU’s concept of consent in the incoming General Data Protection Regulation...

19 April 2017 — The EU will launch a public consultation into concerns about the future of the internet. A succession of surveys will seek “fresh ideas” on issues such as privacy, security, AI, net neutrality and big data.

12 April 2017 — IT and Digital Economy ministers from the G20 met for the first time in Germany this week. Following the summit, the G20 ministers agreed to ensure digital access for all by 2025, though with limited substantive commitments.

Ukraine has engaged with Chile on future cooperation on cybersecurity. The discussions at the sidelines of the LAAD 2017 Defence & Security exhibition in Brazil are part of Ukraine’s hopes of establishing greater cooperation with South American countries…