EU can’t be ‘naive’ about enemies shutting down critical infrastructure, warns tech official

European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen warned that Europe can no longer be naive about adversaries’ ability to disable critical infrastructure, noting cyberattacks are often paired with physical sabotage, disinformation and economic pressure. She called for tougher rules and investment—including a revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act to phase out high‑risk suppliers and build domestic cyber and AI defense capabilities. #Huawei #ZTE

Keypoints

Henna Virkkunen said cyberattacks are a central tool of modern conflict and often coordinated with physical sabotage and disinformation.
The European Commission proposed revising the EU Cybersecurity Act to strengthen the bloc’s cybersecurity agency and secure ICT supply chains.
The draft proposal would require member states to phase out designated high‑risk suppliers from critical national infrastructure.
Officials raised concerns about Chinese vendors such as Huawei and ZTE and urged development of a stronger homegrown cyber industry using advanced computing and AI.
The EU is advancing action plans on drone and undersea cable security and seeking closer transatlantic cooperation with U.S. cyber leaders.