Vol. 529 No. 1
1084 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions on which viruses occurred in incoming e-mails in his Department in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2546/01]
My Department operates a comprehensive screening policy in relation to incoming e-mails. This policy results in a range of e-mails being blocked from entering the Department including those which have been detected by the Department's virus checking software. A large number of e-mails are blocked from entry to the Department and it is not possible to provide the Deputy with the number of occasions which viruses have occurred in such e-mails. However, by way of example, I am informed that within the last month, during a general outbreak of virus-related emailing via the internet, approximately 400 e-mails with viruses where blocked and dealt with by the Department's virus detection software over a period of a few days. In general, while there is a steady stream of viruses in circulation, with occasional peaks such as that mentioned above, my Department's computer networks have not, so far, been compromised due to virus attacks and there has been no down-time resulting from e-mails which contain viruses. Of course, we must remain vigilant.
1085 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions on which hackers have attempted to breach his Department's e-mail security in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2561/01]
My Department is not aware of any attempt by hackers to breach the Department's e-mail security over the past 12 months. It is, of course possible that there may have been unsuccessful attempts. There have, as with all organisations using e-mail, been numerous virus attacks. None of these have been successful.
As part of my Department's IT strategy, it is intended to undertake a project in 2001 to implement secure e-mail between its agencies and subsequently with other State bodies, which I believe will further enhance our protection.
