EU agency to promote information security

The European Union IT security agency wants all EU member states to adopt standardised security practices to improve cross-border working and establish Europe as a technology leader.

The newly operational European Network and Information Security Agency's (ENISA) executive director Andrea Pirotti, says all European member states - old and new - must take information security seriously if the region is to achieve its goal of being 'the leading economic region in the information age'.

'IT security is a global issue, it is not limited by boundaries or by national controls,' Pirotti told Computing.

'In Europe, as far as network and information security is concerned there are well equipped countries and weak countries.'

'But an attack through the weak elements can spread easily across the network - that's why we must pull the weak countries up to the level of the well equipped countries,' he said. 'This will help us realise the vision of the EU being the leading economic region in the information age.'

ENISA was established last November and this month has become operational.

It has been given a ? ¬34.3m (£23.9m), five-year, budget to identify and advise EU member states on emerging security risks. It has started recruiting technical staff to work at its headquarters in Heraklion, Greece.

Pirotti plans to make ENISA a centre of excellence by drawing on examples of best practice from EU member states, including the UK's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit and the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre.

'I am confident that we shall be able to convince member states to contribute to the Agency work and convince them to ask ENISA for assistance and advice to improve the 'Culture of Network and Information Security' in their own Country,' he said.

ENISA will also work with private sector security experts and vendors, who will form part of the agency?s permanent stakeholder group.

'The value of ENISA will be increased awareness of network and information security among Europeans, higher protection of information systems and the consequential improvement of e-commerce,' he said.

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