EC throws weight behind security research

The European Commissioner responsible for justice freedom and security has highlighted the need for more security research and innovation.

In a speech given yesterday on the anniversary of the US World Trade Centre attacks, Commissioner Franco Frattini said the European Union (EU) had come a long way in raising levels of personal and regional security, but that there was still a way to go.

Frattini highlighted work already carried out using iris recognition and fingerprint identification systems to secure country borders and said nearly €750 million (£510.8 million) will be spent on policies to improve common security measures and support member states' related research and innovation.

Citing his own experience of the UK's e-border's programme, he said: "I had my eye examined, instead of my passport...to speed up borders controls."

He also mentioned new technology research to develop more sophisticated 'privacy enhancing technologies' to combat cybercrime and databases that could eliminate data protection issues.

Mike Davis, senior analyst at research firm Ovum told IT PRO Frattini brought a number of different Europe-wide security issues together under a single banner to help push security issues faced by member states higher up the political agenda.

"Only the UK has a distinct border in Europe, which is why it is essential the region has a common security policy. Although there are still some areas to work out, we know the e-borders technology works and is robust. We just need to choose a technology, decide on standards and get on with it," he said.

But, while development of technology to protect the individual physically and virtually is also well underway, Davis questioned Frattini's suggestion that database technology could be developed to overcome data protection issues.

"It's true that the majority of database technologies were not originally designed with security or data protection measures. But directory services, content management tools and access controls that sit over the top are quite mature," he said.

"It's all very well having data protection regulation, but intelligent database monitoring and search to highlight unauthorised access or issue alerts that contextualise access to sensitive material is also needed."

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