The increasing sophistication and speed of cyber-attacks has prompted the launch of a US-led global internet monitoring service.

The US Department of Homeland Security is to get together with Carnegie Mellon University's Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (Cert/CC).

Dubbed US-Cert, the watchdog aims to act as a "co-ordination point for the prevention, protection and response to cyber-attacks across the internet".

It will co-ordinate national and international efforts to prevent cyber-attacks, protect systems and respond to the effects of attacks across the internet.

"Our nation's growing use of the internet for safety-critical applications as well as business transactions, coupled with the increased sophistication and speed of cyber-attacks, increases the risk [of] significant damage in short periods of time," said Richard Pethia, director of Cert/CC.

Carnegie Mellon president Jared Cohon added: "We are committed to maintaining our longstanding leadership in cyber-security and to building additional strength in this critical area."

US-Cert will begin as a partnership between Cert/CC and the National Cyber Security Division of the Department of Homeland Security.

It is expected that the unit will grow to include partnerships with private sector security vendors and domestic and international organisations.

Cert/CC was formed in November 1988 within the Software Engineering Institute by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency after an internet worm brought 10 per cent of internet-connected systems to a halt.