Last week politicians and major business figures put their names to the Charter of Trust, a document that seeks to improve security across all digital platforms and make the internet safer for people across Europe.

The Register reports that there are ten commandments contained within the charter, among which are promises to carry out thorough tests on any systems to ensure that they are resilient to hacking and exploitation.

Businesses will also be obliged to pass on information about threats so that others can learn from them and shore up their defences, enabling consumers to carry out safe shopping online and give personal data to organisations without fear that it will be stolen or misused.

Another aspect of the charter relates to the emerging Internet of Things (IoT), involving millions of web-enabled devices like smart speakers, thermostats and even fridges. Businesses will agree to keep these patched and secured against malicious activities, avoiding hacking scandals which have rocked the industry in the past.

Experts believe that this is a step in the right direction and see the charter as being a means of allowing businesses to take action to keep systems secure without having to be prompted by regulators.

The pace of the cyber security sector is so quick that it is hard for lawmakers to keep up, which is why companies need to be pro-active to avoid falling foul of hackers.

While plenty of firms have committed to the charter, it will only be impactful if it generates even more interest and earns signatories from a broader pool of businesses. In particular, there is a need for organisations and governments in other parts of the world to get involved, as carrying out safe shopping online with overseas retailers is increasingly popular in the UK.