The growing threat of cyber attack requires a radical rethink in the approach to Internet security, the European Commission’s (EC) digital agenda commissioner claims
Neelie Kroes says society has failed to take the necessary steps to protect critical infrastructure from attack, and that only a coordinated, cross border, approach will help protect computers and networks.
“Internet security cannot be confined to the national devices of national security, as if cyberspace were just another domain of combat action,” Kroes told attendees at a public-private security roundtable in Brussels yesterday. “We need a comprehensive response that covers it all.”
The commissioner notes that attacks now come from a variety of sources and are motivated by politics, financial gain, protest and just for the kicks. She claimed that 25,000 new pieces of malware were developed in the time taken to hold the roundtable, and noted the threats affect everyone. “They could damage not just government or critical infrastructure, but also threaten consumer trust in global e-commerce, worth trillions of Euros each year.”
Kroes outlined the EC’s strategy to web security, which it plans to reveal in the third quarter. It will call on member states to guarantee minimum capabilities and response networks; establish authorities responsible for centralizing and sharing information; and incentivize the private sector to boost its security measures. The strategy will also seek to establish a single market for security products, and beef up checks on the supply chain – particularly products imported from outside the European Union.
“[With an approach that is built on the single market, giving the right incentives to the private sector, investing in supply, and with an international outlook…we can deliver not just a safer Internet for all, but also stimulate a vibrant and essential new EU industry,” Kroes concluded.