Viruses can wipe out a whole hard disk and proliferate through the e-mail system. Anti-virus software stops known viruses, but against new viruses, only early warning is an effective defence. The Commission hopes that its proposal will ensure a more effective networking of European warning and information systems.
Some security problems have technical solutions, and the Commission is looking for more collaborative work in this area. It is calling for common standards and interoperable solutions, as encryption software, for example, is useless if not compatible at both ends.
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The draft also states that national governments have a responsibility in relation to their own systems. Interactions with government - medical, financial and personal data - are amongst the most sensitive and if governments can show the way, using interoperable security solutions in e-government, this will help both individuals and business to take security of networks seriously. The Commission proposes to strengthen and increase the co-operation of national computer emergency response teams ("CERTs").
The Commission plans a new law to deal with attacks against computer systems, including hacking and denial of service attacks. This may lead to harsher punishments for cybercriminals in the future.