QUB receives £4.4m to combat 'cyber attacks'

The new technology will protect electronic information at home and at work

A Queen's University Belfast department is to receive £4.4m to help combat abuse of the internet.

The QUB Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) will use the funding to develop technology to counter malicious cyber attacks.

The centre intends to create the security infrastructure to protect personal electronic information at home and in the workplace.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said the move would help create 14 new jobs.

"Invest NI's funding is focussed on supporting the commercialisation of CSIT's new technological solutions," the minister said.

"The engineers supported will target licensing opportunities and develop spin-out companies in order to exploit the full market potential of this valuable research."

The centre is based at Queen's Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology in the Northern Ireland Science Park.