Microsoft has launched a a European Security Programme (ESP) for government bodies in the region, throwing a protective embrace around all 27 European Union (EU) member states, EU accession candidates, European Free Trade Association members, the UK, Monaco and the Vatican.
Recognising that the European cyber threat landscape is in a state of flux as the confluence of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies drives evolution and surfaces new challenges, Microsoft vice-chair and president Brad Smith said Europe could not afford to stand still in cyber matters, particularly as ransomware gangs and nation-state threat actors run rampant.
The programme builds on a pre-existing Government Security Programme (GSP) that has been operating in a similar capacity for some time, but Microsoft said it now wants to increase the flow of information and resources to help European governments increase their resilience.