FITUG e.V.

Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

Cybercrime is EU priority after 'love bug' virus

------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Fri, 12 May 2000 17:04:07 -0700 From: David Banisar <banisar@privacy.org> Subject: Cybercrime is EU priority after 'love bug' virus To: gilc-plan@gilc.org Send reply to: gilc-plan@privacy.org

http://www.eubusiness.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=16268&d=101&h=240&f=56&datefor

Cracking cybercrime is a top priority for the European Union, which will treat the issue with the urgency it deserves, said Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen today as major organisations around the world counted the cost of the 'love bug' computer virus attack. The e-mail virus, believed to have originated in Manila before it swept the world on Thursday 4th May, caused problems for governments, financial institutions and news organisations including the CIA and US Congress. The EU institutions were not affected.

In a statement issued by the Commission, Mr Liikanen said the virus attack had again raised awareness of the importance of information security, which was crucial in order to ensure and promote confidence of consumers and investors in e-commerce.

"The love bug is a warning to us all that security must be given top priority if consumer and user confidence is to be maintained as we move into the information age. The Commission is determined to give security the urgency it deserves, both in its own computer systems and in the policies it promotes", the Commissioner said.

One of the most important EU measures currently in the pipeline is a forthcoming Communication on cybercrime which will propose improving co-operation amongst national law enforcement authorities and other stake-holders and raise awareness of the need for effective security measures by service providers and access to the latest relevant technologies.

The Commission is also due to take part in the G8 High-Tech Crime Convention in Paris on May 15th-17th with industry and law enforcement authorities.

Lovebug - the antidote Our technical team has now developed a toolkit to disinfect your computer, which you can download from our web site with our compliments.

Web link: G8 High-Tech Crime Convention website Download 'lovebug' antidote toolkit ------- End of forwarded message -------

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