Lithuania establishes cyber security council

The government of Lithuania decided on Thursday to establish a cyber security council amid national security strengthening efforts.

The council will be tasked with ensuring a closer cooperation between the state, business and academic organizations, said the cabinet. As a permanent advisory institution, the council will be responsible for analyzing the country's cyber security situation and consulting various institutions.

The ministry of national defense, which proposed the creation of the council, has one month to announce the members of the new institution.

The new institution will be headed by the deputy defense minister and joined by representatives from 24 ministries, state security, academic and business institutions, according to the ministry.

"The council will contribute to improving the cyber security situation and increasing immunity against cyber security attacks in Lithuania," Juozas Olekas, defense minister, said in a press release.

In its latest annual assessment of national security threats, an investigation department under the defense ministry of Lithuania revealed that in 2014, spying programs or traces of their activities in systems and computers were found in the majority of Lithuanian public institutions.

In his latest interview with Xinhua, Olekas said that while strengthening Lithuania's defense capabilities, efforts would also be made to enhance cyber and information security. Endit