Focus area 7 The public sector protects data SECURITY AND CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN FOCUS AT ALL TIMES FOCUS AREAS 7. THE PUBLIC SECTOR PROTECTS DATA 8. ROBUST DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE 9. DIGITISATION FOR EVERYONE THE GOAL The public sector is to use and manage data on citizens and businesses with care and with the appropriate level of security. Information security in the public sector must be improved. Therefore, all authorities will have to commit to the principles set out in the international information security standard ISO27001. This also means that public employees should have, and be familiar with, clear guidelines on how to store and manage personal data on citizens and confidential data on businesses. The public sector should ensure robust and efficient operation of systems and IT infrastructures that are crucial for society. New secure and user-friendly generations of NemID, NemLog-in and Digital Post must be able to meet future needs and allow citizens and businesses to communicate securely and with confidence, both with each other and with public authorities. Digitisation should be for everyone – also for individuals with special needs or challenges. Digital competences of citizens and businesses and their knowledge about secure digital behaviour must be improved. Assistance should be available to those who cannot use digital solutions or who do not have access to them. Developing the digital skills of children and young people already begins at preschool, and continues throughout school, further education and the rest of their lives. 46 SECURITY AND CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN FOCUS AT ALL TIMES Citizens and businesses should feel confident and safe using digital public services. The public sector must protect user data, and therefore information security must be improved throughout the public sector. This should be done with emphasis on user-friendliness in digital solutions and on financial considerations. New level of ambition Digital solutions and digital technologies have created new possibilities for dialogue and involvement, brand new businesses opportunities, etc. However, increased digitisation has also brought with it a risk of new types of crime. Cyber criminals, misuse of data and breaches of security are more serious than ever. They pose a real risk in the form of losses and costs for individuals, businesses and public authorities, and they can also lead to loss of confidence in IT solutions. We must therefore aim high with regard to information security in the public sector. Not least the very serious cases of breach of security in recent years have made it important for all public authorities to be in full control of information security and to follow the international standards on managing and storing data. Secure management of information about citizens and businesses The need to improve security has developed in line with the increasing need for access to personal data on citizens and confidential data on businesses as a consequence of digital transformation. Several employees deal with sensitive or confidential data in their work and case processing. Other security procedures are required when manual paper-based workflows become digital and sharing information becomes easier. Citizens and businesses should feel confident and safe when submitting information to the public administration. They should be able to trust that data will be used for relevant purposes and that it will not be lost or fall into the wrong hands. The public sector will use and manage sensitive and confidential data with care and with the appropriate level of security and privacy. Public employees should have, and be familiar with, clear guidelines on how to collect, store and use data, and not least sensitive personal data and confidential data. Authorities will control who has access to sensitive data on the public and businesses. Management in the authorities will assume responsibility for information security, and the authorities will ensure establishment of secure procedures SECURITY AND CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN FOCUS AT ALL TIMES 47