Critical Infrastructure Security, Network Security

Alliance of IT security groups issues cyber principles for government

In a new proposal aimed at governments worldwide, an alliance of IT security groups from the United States, Europe and Japan issued a call for cooperation between government and private industry to further advance cyber security initiatives while not encumbering processes with complex regulations.  The best, peer-reviewed technologies must be implemented regardless of the country of origin or the nationality of the technology vendor, the group said.

Among the 12 principles outlined in the statement, "Recommended Government Approaches to Cybersecurity," issued in Brussels on June 21 by DIGITALEUROPE (DE), the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), and Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), the groups seek to instill governments with a clear understanding of what should be part of any cyber security policy.

Opening by declaring cyber security a "high priority for governments, society and industry globally," the statement said that cyber security protections must be put in place to safeguard enterprises. But, more than that, these initiatives must ensure that communication is enhanced and information can flow freely so as to keep the international market vibrant. The group advocates that to achieve these goals collaboration is necessary across borders so as to avoid isolated efforts that can create more easily exploitable vulnerabilities.  

Calling for transparency, the statement advises that cyber security policies being developed on the government level be freely available and open to receiving input from stakeholders.

The need to adapt to market changes is also a priority, necessitating flexible policy approaches that enterprises and consumers can understand and put in place to manage risks.

Further, the statement advocates that governments and industry develop and implement cyber security policies in partnership with the private sector. This will ensure that policies are adaptive and effective, it said.

Claiming that cyber initiatives of individual nations may not be as solid as those which have gone through the peer review processes of global standards bodies, the statement calls for the use of industry-led, best practices and conformity assessment schemes suitable to the global digital marketplace.

“In the United States and around the world, policymakers are keenly focused on the development of smart, effective, robust cyber defenses," Dean C. Garfield, ITI's president and CEO, said in a statement following the release of the document. "As countries draw up their plans, the tech sector wants to ensure that the digital world's foundation of openness and collaboration is not lost to a well-intentioned but poorly constructed international patchwork of cyber defenses.”

DIGITALEUROPE represents IT, telecoms and consumer electronics companies from every part of Europe. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) aims to promote Japan's electronics products and components. The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) works to advance the development and use of technology around the world.

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