Taimar Peterkop, Director-General of the Information System Authority, said that the security risk of the Infineon chip discovered last autumn has affected many countries and corporations in the world, which is why it is important to share our experiences and learn from each other to prevent similar crises or prepare for them in the future. ‘The residents of Estonia were most affected by the security risk, as our everyday lives are dependent on e-services and electronical identities. Such dependence makes us more vulnerable but stronger at the same time. We have identified the shortcomings of our system; we know what to fix and how to operate in similar situations. We are now better prepared for upcoming challenges that we will undoubtedly have to face,’ said the head of Information System Authority.
Researchers around the world have repeatedly studied the chip used in Estonian ID cards. The Information System Authority is also working with Estonian researchers to make ID cards and the functioning of the e-state more secure. ‘Research and knowledge of experienced cryptographs, active scientists, and other IT specialists of the private sector as well as close communication with other countries are essential for the sustainability of our e-state. This model of co-operation must be preserved and developed,’ Peterkop said.
The conference featured the representatives of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), the European Commission, countries affected by the security hazard, and the persons who solved the crisis in Estonia. The analysis made on the initiative of Tallinn University of Technology on solving the ID card crisis was published at the conference. Rain Ottis, the head of the working group of this study, presented the conclusions. Prime Minister Jüri Ratas gave the welcome speech of the conference.
The event took place at the Creative Hub (Kultuurikatel). The programme
The conference was held under the European Union Structural Funds Support Scheme ‘Raising public awareness about the information society’ funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
