ICT for Societal Challenges - European Commission - Europa

Living in a secure society
The concern for security is as old as humankind. What is “new” is its extension to our
digital environment. Indeed, our economy and society are now highly dependent on
Information and Communication Technology (ICT). We have grown accustomed to the
benefits brought by the Internet, smartphones,
and the visible and invisible computing power
around us. ICT services and devices have become
an integral part of our way of life, and even of
our culture.
The Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) recognises
that the Internet has proved to be remarkably
secure, resilient and stable. However, the extensive
usage of ICT brings not only benefits but also
carries risks. Only 12% of European web users
feel completely safe making online transactions.
38% of users had concerns with the safety of online payments and have changed
their behaviour because of concerns with security issues: 18% are less likely to buy
goods online and 15% are less likely to use online banking. IT networks and end
users’ terminals still remain vulnerable to a wide range of evolving threats (lack of
privacy, loss of data, malfunctioning of the network due to a cyber-attack). Therefore,
the DAE has defined a number of objectives in the field of trust and security:
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• security of networks – the internet has become a critical information
infrastructure, encompassing IT systems and networks across the globe. It
must be resilient and secure against all sorts of threats. Strong cooperation
between EU governments, public bodies and private companies is necessary
to improve information exchange and to ensure that security problems are
addressed quickly and effectively. The European Network Information
and Security Agency (ENISA) serves as a focal point for this exchange
and cooperation. To react to threats in real-time conditions, the European
Commission will establish a network of Computer Emergency Response
Teams (CERTs), also for European institutions (CERT-EU).
• fight against cybercrime and cyber-attacks – attacks against information
systems are a growing threat, and there is an increasing concern about the
potential for terrorist or politically motivated attacks against information
systems which form part of the critical infrastructures of Member States
and the Union. The Cybersecurity Strategy for the European Union gives