US military may use Czech cyber attacks protection system

Prague, Feb 5 (CTK) - The U.S. armed forces will most probably use the results of Czech experts' research in the protection of computer networks against cyber attacks this year already, Michal Pechoucek, from the Cybernetics Department of the Czech Technical University (CVUT) in Prague, has told CTK.

He said Czech computer experts have developed certain algorithms that can protect computer networks from hackers and terrorists' attacks.

Pechoucek has participated in more than 20 projects funded by U.S. defence and government agencies since 1999.

He said Czech scientists completed last December another research project for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that is responsible for the security of air operation in the United States.

Another U.S.-Czech cooperation is to be supported by the Prague branch of the U.S. Naval Research Office. It will employ two civilian experts and a few officials.

The office will be opened at the U.S. embassy in Prague at the turn of February and March.

Similar branch offices are in Santiago de Chile for South America, in Singapore for Asia and in London.

Washington promised to extend scientific cooperation in exchange for the Czech consent to the stationing of an anti-missile radar base on Czech soil.

The plans to build the radar have been scrapped, however, but the Untied States has not withdrawn from the promised scientific cooperation.

Thanks to the planned radar base, the Czech Republic is one of a few countries that have signed a declaration on strategic cooperation in defence with the United States.

The Czech Republic and the United States are preparing an inter-government agreement on research, development, testing and assessment projects that would give Czech researches the same access to industrial contracts similar to their U.S. colleagues'.

Pechoucek said the above research on computer networks protection of the U.S. Defense Department against cyber attacks was not connected with the radar.