A new organization to defend the European Union against cybercrime launched its operations on Monday, called the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT).
The new unit is composed of security experts from participating European Union member states, the EC3 (European Cybercrime Centre) and cooperating law enforcement authorities outside the European Union.
J-CAT is hosted by EC3, Europol ’s focal point for combating cybercrime, and is tasked with coordinating international investigations into cybercrime cases. The aim is to eliminate cyber threats such as underground forums and malware of all kinds.
Experts from the following countries are already participating in J-CAT: Austria, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Commitment to participate in this initiative has also been expressed by Australia and Colombia.
“The Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce will operate in secure offices at Europol headquarters, and will be coordinated by experts and analysts from the European Cybercrime Centre. The aim is not purely strategic, but more operational,” said Troels Oerting, head of EC3.
“The aim is to prevent cybercrime, catch fraudsters and seize their illicit profits. This is just the first step in a long journey towards an open, transparent, free and secure internet. The goal cannot be achieved by law enforcement alone, but requires a unified effort from many stakeholders in the global community.”.
