Lecture

New Challenges for IT-Security Research in ICT

Speaker:	Dr. Udo Helmbrecht, President of the Federal Office for Information Security, Bonn, Germany Executive Director Elect of ENISA
Date:	Friday, 7 August 2009
Time:	15:00-16:30 hrs
Location:	FORTH Amphitheater: "Giorgos Lianis", Heraklion, Crete
Host:	Constantine Stephanidis, Director ICS-FORTH

Abstract:

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become the outstanding social factor of our time. Its world-wide use is on the rise, as well as our dependency on IT. Computers, mobile telephones, and the Internet have evolved into the basis of a mobile, knowledge- and networked-based information society. Most of us hardly ever think about how we take the IT for granted in our day-to-day life. There is the obvious IT — such as the Internet and all the opportunities coming up with the web: e-mail, electronic data transfer, or even Voice over IP, just to name a few. Additionally a more hidden IT exists, which is also very important. Without an extensive use of various and wide-ranging IT components we could not guarantee our supply with energy, and even with drinking water. Financial transactions would only be possible to a limited degree or not at all, and the government proceedings would be severely hampered.

But: The Information Communication Technology (ICT) is facing an increasing number of threats, more and more caused by organised criminals. Threats emanating from cyberspace as a major indicator of the fragility of modern, integrated societies and as an issue of major relevance to the functioning and security of the world system. Information Security is among the Planetary Emergencies which call for urgent and co-ordinated international responses on the basis of interdisciplinary efforts. International strategies have to be developed, to secure a certain standard of IT security for enterprises as well as for the consumers.

The presentation by Udo Helmbrecht will provide an insight into the thread situation on the internet including the Economic Dimension of cyber insecurity today. Building confidence through secure and consumer-friendly information and communication technologies is essential. An overview of current technological trends and proposals to create a new culture for the cooperation of the security community and academic community is given. This results in new challenges for IT-security research in ICT: ambient intelligence, elliptic curve cryptography, quantum computing, biometrics for identity management, cyber defence technologies. Last but not least an idea how to contribute to a new Culture of Cybersecurity is proposed.

Bio:

Information about Dr. Udo Helmbrecht can be found at http://www.bsi.de/english/biography_president.htm