Malta seen as perfect springboard for IT initiatives

Malta can provide a leading edge in IT and its size makes it a perfect springboard for new initiatives, according to a senior Microsoft official.

There was a better chance of realising initiatives in small countries with a well-educated workforce than the larger ones - and Malta was the right place for that, Microsoft senior director Detlef Eckert said.

Dr Eckert, who is responsible for the implementation of the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Initiative in Europe, Middle East and Africa, was in Malta for discussions with the government in connection with its e-government ambitions.

Early in 2003, the government embarked on a long-term relationship with software giant Microsoft in a concerted effort to use IT as a driver for the economy.

Before joining Microsoft, Dr Eckert worked at the European Commission. As head of the division responsible for analysis and policy planning in the directorate general information society, he launched a number of key initiatives that contributed to the full liberalisation of the European telecommunications markets in 1998.

Dr Eckert was also involved in the launch of eEurope 2002 and the 2005 Action Plan, the basis for the EU's new economy strategy.

In an interview with The Times, Dr Eckert spoke about IT security especially since he oversees Microsoft's business unit, which aims to improve the security and reliability of the company's software.

Some of the government's infrastructure has been built on Microsoft software.

Dr Eckert said the government was an important partner for Microsoft because it perceived it as a policy driver rather than merely as a customer.

"Working in a country the size of Malta can be effective because it's easier to sit down and do projects - even if business-wise it's a fraction of other countries."

Dr Eckert hailed the government's decision to emulate some other European countries and set up a ministry specifically for IT.

Between 1995 and 2000, productivity in the US shot up and undoubtedly this was fuelled by the massive investment in IT. The US invests much more in IT than any other country.

The penetration of computers and internet is now rising to a level where it has become nearly ubiquitous. Internet penetration in Malta is about 50 per cent, almost half of which is via broadband.

Dr Eckert hailed Malta's progress in the field and said it was no wonder that it is being touted internationally as a "best practice case study".

The government is now in the process of launching its registration and authentication system linked to the gov.mt portal, which will enable secure and financial transactions on-line, some of which may be of a sensitive nature such as submitting tax returns, registration for social benefits and so on.

Turning to Malta's EU accession, Dr Eckert said that one of the most important initiatives for the new member states was the eEurope Plus programme, which had provided them with a benchmark in IT and internet penetration.

Dr Eckert spoke in detail about computer viruses and spam mail, which the EU recently deemed as illegal.

Microsoft is working on increased software protection against unsolicited e-mails. An estimated 50 per cent of internet traffic is nowadays considered to be spam.

"We have to live with the fact that the more popular the internet becomes, the more the hackers are enticed to attack it.

"Fighting spam is one of the most important activities at policy levels. People are actually complaining more about junk mail than viruses," he said.

The industry needed to step up its security efforts and Microsoft had intensified its efforts in this respect for the past two years.

Microsoft, he explained, had therefore included into its flagship e-mail server, Exchange 2003, a number of enhanced security features as well as improved spam blocking mechanisms, which were activated at the mail-box in an attempt to stop it reaching the user, who was often being tricked into opening e-mails.

A new service pack update for Windows XP, probably available by June, was also expected to contain substantially increased security updates to enhance PC security.

But ultimately, new and more deadly viruses were being invented.

Users, Dr Eckert cautioned, should be aware of the best practice behaviour and should have a minimum level of knowledge of what a PC can do and what the internet is.

"You don't need to be a mechanic to drive a car but you should know the car's limitations and its safety features. Likewise, with computers.

"But one should not expect the user to become a computer security expert. It is the vendors' responsibility to improve the security interfaces and to make it as much as possible available just out of the box."