In an endeavor that would spell a much better-coordinated response to 'attacks' by cyber-criminals, the US Homeland Security officials Friday opened a $9 million operations center, with 61 computer stations spread across it.

The center will unite the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team and the National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications, so as to strengthen the fight against the cyber-criminals.

As per the US officials, the government computer systems are probed or scanned several times throughout a day, because of which they face an increasing threat from hackers; cyber criminals trying to steal money or information; and nation-states looking to spy or destroy the networks that run vital services.

Noting that the current US efforts to combat cyber-criminal are glaringly inadequate, Senator Joe Lieberman - Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee - said that his committee is drafting a legislation that mandate federal agencies and private companies to set up a system to share information on cyber threats.

Speaking at a Friday event hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce, Lieberman said that the White House coordinator with be authorized to oversee cybersecurity budgets and expenditure by federal agencies, including the Defense Department.

Lieberman said: "We need this kind of position in the White House specifically to ensure that the classified work conducted by Department of Defense and intelligence agencies is informing the defensive actions taken by our domestic agencies."