Äike
01-06-2011, 11:37 AM
Defense Minister Proposes Cyber Force Draft (http://news.err.ee/politics/14673cb6-3aa8-4db3-97db-1be2d9778c1b)
Minister of Defense Jaak Aaviksoo has told media of a plan to establish a "nerd draft" for Estonia's Defense Forces, which would give those carrying out compulsory service the option of signing up for a special cyber defense unit.
"No democratic country in the world has a comparable force, with computer specialists ready and willing to put themselves under a single paramilitary command to defend the country's cyber infrastructure,“ reported NPR.
Aaviksoo said the idea could go into force within 10 years. "This is an idea that we've been playing around with. We don't have the mechanism or laws in place, but it might be one option," said the minister.
Stewart Baker, former general counsel at the National Security Agency, told NPR that a Cyber Defense League like the one already existing in Estonia under military command would be difficult to establish in the US because so many IT specialists work for private companies and are mistrustful of government efforts. "That's a very sensible approach, and I only wish we had the same kind of relationship with our [Information Technology] sector that they obviously have with theirs [...] But that only means Estonia now has the opportunity to serve as a model, and NATO has recognized Estonia's efforts,“ Baker said.
As one of the most wired countries in the world, 80 percent of Estonians pay their taxes and bills online. Estonia has also lobbied hard to become the headquarters of the EU's cyber center. NATO's Cyber Defense Center for Excellence already resides in the country.
Minister of Defense Jaak Aaviksoo has told media of a plan to establish a "nerd draft" for Estonia's Defense Forces, which would give those carrying out compulsory service the option of signing up for a special cyber defense unit.
"No democratic country in the world has a comparable force, with computer specialists ready and willing to put themselves under a single paramilitary command to defend the country's cyber infrastructure,“ reported NPR.
Aaviksoo said the idea could go into force within 10 years. "This is an idea that we've been playing around with. We don't have the mechanism or laws in place, but it might be one option," said the minister.
Stewart Baker, former general counsel at the National Security Agency, told NPR that a Cyber Defense League like the one already existing in Estonia under military command would be difficult to establish in the US because so many IT specialists work for private companies and are mistrustful of government efforts. "That's a very sensible approach, and I only wish we had the same kind of relationship with our [Information Technology] sector that they obviously have with theirs [...] But that only means Estonia now has the opportunity to serve as a model, and NATO has recognized Estonia's efforts,“ Baker said.
As one of the most wired countries in the world, 80 percent of Estonians pay their taxes and bills online. Estonia has also lobbied hard to become the headquarters of the EU's cyber center. NATO's Cyber Defense Center for Excellence already resides in the country.