China began to implement on a trial basis a regulation on the administration of classified data protection on March 1. To support this move, Internet security bureaus nationwide have conducted a comprehensive investigation into the data network being held by relevant bodies.

The regulation grades information security protection. One of these grades protects ordinary information and the systems which hold the data. If outsiders get access to this data, it has the potential to harm citizens or organization. However, it won't constitute a threat to national security, social order, economic and public interests.

The higher the grade is, the more important the information and the system which holds it are. So if the security of a higher grade is breached, the consequences are more serious.

"This is a universal practice," said Zhang Junbing, a division chief with the Public Information and Internet Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. "Important departments concerning national security and social stability will be supervised and their operational systems in use must reach the third grade or above of data protection," he added.

Information security software manufacturers in China will also be required to readjust their products to meet the requirements of the new regulation. "The KV series (a well known brand of anti-virus software) meet the 48 requirements in all five grades outlined in the regulation," said Wang Jiangmin, a highly respected anti-virus expert and CEO of Jiangmin New Technology Co., Ltd.

(China.org.cn by Li Shen, April 13, 2006)