Network Security News

Cybersecurity groups form Chain of Trust Alliance

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Three cybersecurity organizations announced the formation of a new initiative to combat malware called the Chain of Trust Alliance, which seeks to unite security vendors with other stakeholders.

Developed by the Anti-Spyware Coalition (ASC), National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and StopBadware.org, the Chain of Trust Initiative will attempt to provide a systemic effort to stop the rising tide of internet security threats, the group said yesterday.

"Strong security in any one organization or sector is not enough to combat an agile, fast evolving threat like malware, which exploits security breakdowns between entities," said Ari Schwartz, ASC coordinator and vice president of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT).

The first task is to map the network of organizations and individuals that make up the chain - vendors, researchers, government agencies, internet companies, network providers and advocacy and education groups.

"Online safety and security is a shared responsibility that requires the involvement of governments, corporations, non-profit institutions and citizens," said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the NCSA.

The group said leaders of the initiative have already begun reaching out to key players and identifying critical areas for collaboration.

In the next six months, the Chain of Trust Initiative will produce a paper tracking the results of the mapping project and propose initial recommendations to strengthen the chain, the group said.