TSSG Collaborate on EC report into Trust in the Information Society

European Commission addresses Irish Future Internet Forum

Dr. Willie Donnelly, Director of TSSG (Left) with Minister Conor Lenihan, T.D. and Dr Jacques Bus, Head of Unit F.5, DG-INFSO, European Commission, at the second annual Irish Future Internet Forum held on Dec 3rd.

December 3rd, 2009 – A report produced by the Telecommunication Software & Systems Group (TSSG) was central to the discussions at today’s second annual meeting of the Irish Future Internet Forum in the Digital Hub, Dublin. Jacques Bus, Head of Unit Trust & Security (F.5) of the European Commission’s Directorate General Information Society & Media, presented the findings of an EU-wide report into online security and trustworthiness, known as the RISEPTIS report.

This report sets out policy recommendations and guidelines on trustworthiness and security for life in an increasingly digitised world. The independent RISEPTIS board was supported by the CA (Co-ordinated Action) project Think-Trust , which brought together the opinions and requirements of a wide range of stakeholders on trust, security and dependability issues in ICT. The Think-Trust project has been running since January 2008 led by the TSSG, based in Waterford Institute of Technology.

Speaking at the event, Jacques Bus, Head of Unit F.5, DG-INFSO, European Commission, described RISEPTIS as “a vital report, providing constructive recommendations for EC and member-states in dealing with technology development alongside development of policy and regulations that can help Europe find the right way towards an information society that is wanted and deserved by its citizens,” he said.

Founded in 2008 by the TSSG, the Irish Future Internet Forum (IFIF) co-ordinates Ireland’s response to the issues resulting from the continued growth and expansion of the Internet. In essence, the Internet is approaching overload and researchers are trying to manage its future by creating new evolved and improved infrastructure. Part of this challenge includes setting up secure systems to protect sensitive information and prevent crime.

Dr. Willie Donnelly, Director of the TSSG, explained, “As the Internet moves from the periphery to the centre of all our social and economic activities, many of its inherent vulnerabilities are exposed. Governments and industries have taken up the challenge of defining and implementing the Future Internet, trying to adapt the architecture and the infrastructure to address these vulnerabilities,” he said.

With more than 1.5 billion users worldwide accessing over 22 billion web pages, sending over 210 billion emails per day, and with 450 million registered facebook users alone, the Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, affecting the way we communicate, socialise and learn. Governance and the law have not been able to keep pace with its rapid growth, which raises concerns around identity theft and the ‘trustworthiness’ of the digital world.

“Our reliance on digital infrastructure and services has raised questions about and obscured the handling of personal data and increased our exposure to new threats and malpractices,” he said.

Recognised as one of Europe’s top telecommunications research institutes focused on Future Internet research, the TSSG is prominent in both the Irish Future Internet Forum (IFIF) and the European Future Internet Assembly (EU-FIA), primarily though the TSSG’s engagment in 11 EU-funded projects addressing different aspects of the FIA agenda, along with a number of related nationally funded projects.

Participants in the Irish Future Internet Forum come from academic institutions, and from the private and public sector. This year’s Forum examined how Ireland can develop “smart” ICT security environments, incorporating values such as liberty, democracy and privacy for citizens, while also providing essential infrastructural trust, security and dependability.

Speakers taking part in the Forum included Prof. Jan Eloff, Research Director SAP Research CEC Pretoria & SAP Meraka South Africa; and Prof. Jacir Luiz Bordim, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Brasília, Brazil.