Background
In its communication “i2010 – A European Information Society for growth and employment” [link1 and link2] of June 2005, the European Commission highlighted the importance of network and information security for the creation of a single European information space. The availability, reliability and security of networks and information systems are increasingly central to our economies and society. This is also reflected in the Multiannual Thematic Programme (MTP1) of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)“Improving resilience in European e-Communication networks”.
ENISA’s activities in 2008 focused, among others, on assessing the potential of several technologies in terms of their potential to improve the resilience of public communications networks. During 2009, ENISA is complimenting its activities in this area by assessing the impact of the evolution and the latest trends of networking technologies (such mesh architectures, p2p networking, etc.) in terms of resilience, both security and availability, of the networks. ENISA's work is supported by an Expert Group, composed by widely renowned specialists from both academia and industry. For each of the networking trends identiefied, the members of the Expert Group are expected to elaborate on the:
- Ways that the identified networking technologies affect network resilience.
- On the possible benefits in terms of improving networking resilience that some of the identified network technologies might introduce.
- Maintaining an outlook over the next 3 to 5 years, on the R&D challenges relevant to the identified networking technologies.
- On the possible future role of ENISA in the topics/areas identified.
Results of this activity are expected to contribute to the preparation of the Framework Programs of EU funded R&D. The latter is in-line with the provisions of EC Regulation No 460/2004 of 10 March 2004
establishing ENISA, where in Article 3(h) it is stated that the Agency is expected to advise the European Commission "on research in the area of network and information security as well as on the effective use of risk prevention technologies”.
First results of this work were published at the end of 2009.