Google opens new cybersecurity centre in Spain

Google has opened its third cybersecurity centre in Europe in the southern Spanish city of Malaga warning that cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common and political systems are at risk of getting disrupted.

The Málaga-based Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC) is the third such centre in Europe. In 2019, Google launched a centre in Munich focusing on privacy and security engineering, and in 2020, another one in Dublin to address content responsibility.

Today we opened the Google Safety Engineering Center in Málaga, a new hub that will bring together Google engineers & European experts to advance the state of the art in cybersecurity and malware analysis. https://t.co/xxfpn12enM

— Google Europe (@googleeurope) November 29, 2023

“The launch of Google’s new GSEC not only contributes to a safer future for all but also cements Malaga’s status as a thriving technological hub,” Jose Carlos Delgado Gómez, Cyber Attaché for Spain, said.

With the launch of GSEC Màlaga, Google also announced a $10 million pledge to advance the development of cybersecurity skills and training at European universities and assist local community organisations.

The 2500-metre-squared former military administrative building has the capacity for up to 100 Google engineers and staff from other teams, such as the market leader in threat intelligence, Mandiant and the Málagan-born startup VirusTotal.

VirusTotal was acquired by Google in 2012 and is a leading crowdsourced threat-sharing platform.

“The European Union has estimated there are up to 500,000 [cybersecurity experts] too few last year. The implications of filling this skills gap can’t be overstated,” said Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet.

Cyberattacks had risen by 38 percent last year and were becoming “increasingly aggressive,” Kent Walker, Google’s global affairs chief, told reporters.

“We need to work together on an international scale” to combat the threat, he said.

The war in Ukraine showed how cyber tools could be used to destabilize democracy, warns Google and the European Union.

An estimated 230,000 pieces of malicious software were being downloaded every day, said European Parliament vice president Dita Charanzova in a video address.

El delegado @PedroFdezGob acompaña al ministro @joseluisescriva @mintradigital en la inauguración del Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC) en #Málaga pic.twitter.com/bHgvlUfN6s

— Delegación del Gobierno en Andalucía (@DGobAndalucia) November 29, 2023

“We have no doubt that European elections will become a target for disinformation and cyber interference,” she said.

With the launch of GSEC Màlaga, Google also announced a $10 million pledge to advance the development of cybersecurity skills and training at European universities and assist local community organisations.

“The European Union has estimated there are up to 500,000 [cybersecurity experts] too few last year. The implications of filling this skills gap can’t be overstated,” said Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet.

The Malaga site would house experts building tools to combat cyber threats, said Google, which already has cybersecurity centers in Munich and Dublin. Also, it would help to train government officials, companies, and NGOs.

“The opening of the centre is also a signal that global tech companies understand that Europe is a place to invest their talents and a place where cyber experts are valued to help our citizens,” Dita added.

Enhancing EU Cyber Resilience

In partnership with the European Cyber Conflict Research Initiative, Google will support the $10 million pledge to the EU Cyber-skills Academy.

As part of the program, universities across Europe will be offered cybersecurity training materials and curricula to allow students from all academic backgrounds to connect. According to Google, no prior experience or prerequisites are needed to participate in the cybersecurity courses.

The $10 million European Cybersecurity Seminars announced today by @Googleorg & @EuropeanCyber will offer students at universities across Europe new hands-on cybersecurity training. More 👉 https://t.co/UOoQaCfceB

— Google Europe (@googleeurope) November 29, 2023

“I’m delighted to be able to count Google among the community of pledgers to the Academy. As of today, I can only hope that your commitment will inspire other companies to make similar pledges,” Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the EU Commission, remarked.