PM's plan to thwart cyber attacks

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will announce the creation of a national cyber security centre and the appointment of a cyber security chief.

Neil Thompson, a senior civil servant, will be tasked with protecting the country against the hacking of individuals, businesses and governments.

The centre will advise Whitehall departments and companies on defending against attempts to hack in to networks and access secret information.

It will form the centrepiece of the updated national security strategy, which was first published last year.

Last month US President Barack Obama said protecting the US computer network from attack would become a national security priority.

MPs were warned last year about emails apparently sent by the European Parliament - amid fears they could be used by Chinese hackers to implant viruses.

The head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, has also warned business and legal firms of the rise in the online threat from Chinese state organisations.

Reports in 2007 said hackers, believed to have come from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), hit the network of the Foreign Office and other key departments.

Chinese hackers were also thought to be responsible for shutting down the House of Commons computer system in 2006.