Britain to create 'Cyber Reserve' defenses

The British government says it will create a Cyber Reserve force in its armed forces to deal with security threats posed by computer Internet crime. The force will come under the Ministry of Defense, which said the proposal will give the armed forces the ability to draw on the expertise and experience of civilian and academic cyberspecialists, the BBC reported Monday. Ninety-three percent of large corporations and 76 percent of small businesses in Britain had reported an Internet breach sometime in the past year, Defense Minister Francis Maude said in a statement. The government would take action to make Britain "one of the most secure places in the world to do business in cyberspace," he said, noting that degree courses in cybersecurity were already being offered in several universities. "We are constantly examining new ways to harness and attract the talents of the cybersecurity specialists that are needed for critical areas of work," Maude said. "To this end, the MoD is taking forward the development of a 'Cyber Reserve,' allowing the services to draw on the wider talent and skills of the nation in the cyberfield."