“Amendments to the law enabled the emergence of the VASARIS management system for blocked domains, which was developed by specialists of the National Cyber Security Center (NKSC) together with other institutions. The unified system restricts websites that provide gambling or investment services that operate illegally, e-commerce websites that violate consumer rights, websites that offer illegal copyrighted content (films, etc.),” said Kasparas Adomaitis, the initiator of the amendments to the law, deputy elder of the Freedom faction of the Seimas.
If the authorities determine that the site is operating in violation of the law, thanks to the new system, it begins to be blocked, according to him, within 15 minutes.
“This enables a rapid response to the rapidly spreading newly created illegal websites by fraudsters.” Instead of opening illegal services or a fraudulent website to Internet users, Internet providers direct them to the page of the responsible authority, where they are informed about why the website is blocked and how it can be dangerous. “Unfortunately, specialists of the National Cyber Security Center receive requests to unblock websites, because a person, for example, has already “invested” thousands of euros in them,” says K. Adomaitis.
“Theoretically, Internet users can disable information about blocked sites in their browser, but the system is designed to protect the other 99 percent. Lithuanian internet users who impulsively react to advertisements of illegal websites and try to access them”, says the parliamentarian.
In his opinion, it is important that the law obliges all Lithuanian Internet providers to use the new VASARIS system.
“After the implementation of the new system, information is published in one place about the mandatory instructions given by all authorities to block a specific website. Therefore, anyone who wants to can check which websites are harmful”, says K. Adomaitis.
According to him, blocking websites created by fraudsters is one of the most effective means of reducing the harm they cause to citizens.
According to him, after the amendments to the law come into force, the NKSC will be able to operate more efficiently in order to stop cyber incidents and reduce their impact. It is also expected to reduce the number of crimes and cyber security offences.
According to K. Adomaitis, according to various international reports, Lithuania ranks 6th in the European Union (EU) in terms of the threat to its residents of becoming victims of cybercrime.
According to him, there are currently about 2,450 blocked domains in the VASARIS system, most of them – about 1,000. 600 are related to illegal gambling. According to the data of Seimas member K. Adomaitis, NKSC fences about 7 thousand people every day. attempts to access illegal websites.
Amendments to the Law on Cybersecurity were adopted by the Seimas last March.
