23.05.2006 Estonia aims to become a country with the most secure information society in the world
Today, leaders of the largest banks and telecoms (SEB Eesti Ühispank,
Hansapank, Elion, EMT) as well as the Ministry of Economic Affairs and
Communications of Estonia signed a co-operation agreement to launch a nationwide
„Computer Protection 2009” initiative, pledging to invest up to EEK 60 million
to increase end-user PC protection and awareness in Estonia.
The “Computer Protection 2009” initiative, to be carried out by Look@World Foundation, aims at making Estonia a
country with the most secure information society in the world by year 2009. To
this end, a number of sub-projects will be launched, one of the priority fields
being the promotion of ID card-based authentication in the use of
e-services.
“Promotion of the national ID card in the use of public sector e-services
is vital in order to increase citizens’ trust for e-services and make them feel
at ease in their communication with the state over the internet,” said Mrs.
Marika Priske, Secretary General from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and
Communications.
Estonia is the only country in Europe with a
well-established practice in electronic identity based authentication and
digital signing. At local government elections in October 2005, Estonian
citizens could cast their votes electronically, using the secure ID card as an
authentication mechanism. By 2009, the use of ID card in electronic
authentication is expected to have grown 20 times.
“Though the name of the project refers to computer protection, our
approach is wider, covering the creation and protection of new economy and even
society,” said Mr. Valdo Kalm, chairman of the board of Estonia´s largest mobile
telecom company EMT.
As a first step, a gateway to PC protection related information and
discussions at www.arvutikaitse.ee
(currently only in Estonian) has been launched. The web environment provides
information on how to protect one’s computer from cyber criminals and gives
advice on how to be safe when shopping online and avoid falling victim to fraud.
Future developments of the web portal include widening its content so as to add
information and games for children etc.
Over the three years, the above-mentioned four companies will fund
activities related to the project in the amount of 60 million Estonian kroons
(3.74 million euros). However, other agencies, companies and organizations are
welcome to join the initiative and contribute to it.
Look@World Foundation was established in
2001 by ten leading companies in Estonia with an aim to considerably increase
the number of internet users, raising thereby the living standard of Estonians
and the competitiveness of our economy in Europe. The projects carried out so
far include basic computer and internet training for 100,000 people in Estonia,
development and implementation of the eSchool environment and opening nearly 500
public internet access points in Estonia.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Mart Parve
Look@World
Foundation
e-Security Project Manager
Phone: +372 5 660 4704
mart.parve@vaatamaailma.ee
Mr. Tiit Tammiste
AS EMT
IT Director
Phone +372 611 1108
tiit.tammiste@emt.ee
Mr. Tiit Pekk
AS Hansapank
Director of Special Projects
Phone
+372 613 1747 / 613 1727
tiit.pekk@hansa.ee
Mr. Jaan Tamm
AS SEB Eesti Ühispank
Director of e-Technology and
Operations Division
Phone: +372 665 5522
jaan.tamm@seb.ee
Mr. Aivo Jürgenson
Elion Ettevõtted AS
Head of Information Security
Phone: +372 639 7244
aivo.jyrgenson@elion.ee
Mr. Mait Heidelberg
IT Advisor of Ministry of Economic Affairs and
Communications of Estonia
Phone: +372 504 8075
mait.heidelberg@mkm.ee
|
