The original objectives posed at the outset of the Centre in July 1991: advocating more security in organisations, development of computer security policies, development of computer-related legislation, are very dated. They reflected, together with the name chosen for the Centre, the technical view of information systems security that then prevailed, and were adjusted in 2000: raise the profile of the Centre to a international level for policy on information systems security especially in cyberspace, for compliance and control research, and training in the field.

In terms of substantive topics, the Group is focused on three important issues for the next period of up to five years i.e up to 2008: interoperability of secure systems, including the policy and compliance aspects, identity and identity management, and especially the debate about individual rights and collective needs and Anti-Money Laundering systems and compliance, addressing issues of the limits of profiling and similar surveillance technology. These three issues present a substantial, important yet integrated agenda that will provide significant food for thought in the coming debates about security, technology and civil rights in an open society.