ENISA talks up European security plans

ENISA, the EU Agency for European Network and Information Security, has today been speaking about the most pressing online security risks facing internet users.

The group presented its General Report, warning that "Europe should not wait for a ‘digital 9/11’, but instead reduce imbalances in national security approaches." Otherwise, it warned the European economy was at great risk.

The economy, ENISA explained was threatened by malicious internet and email users, such as those that send spam or phishing mails. It said, "Today, 30 per cent of global trade is ‘digitally dependent’. Spam costs business about €64,5bn in 2007, double the 2005 figure. As only 6 per cent of spam reaches mailboxes, the problem is perceived to be under control. However, it is growing in quantity, size and bandwidth and remains a costly problem, with 94 per cent of spam being the invisible part of the ‘iceberg’."

The Executive Director of ENISA, Andrea Pirotti added, “Europe must take security threats more seriously and invest more resources in NIS. Therefore, ENISA calls for the EU to introduce mandatory reporting on security breaches and incidents for business, just as the US has already done.

The Member States should undertake concerted efforts to reduce the imbalances in security levels, with more cross-border cooperation. ENISA is confident that the need for secure networks to safeguard the European economy is a distinct driving force for Member States to cooperate more closely.”