Today, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord welcomes 11 new companies for a total of 90 signatories now committed to improving the security of cyberspace. AnchorFree, Domain Tools, Flowmon Networks, MarkMonitor, NTT, Paladion, Percipiet.ai, Silent Breach, Tanium, Telecom Italia, and Unisys have pledged to protect users and customers everywhere.
Nearly one year ago, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord was launched at the RSA Conference with 34 technology and security companies as signatories, publicly pledging to defend customers everywhere from malicious attacks by cybercriminal enterprises and nation states. Today, the group returns to RSA as the largest, and most international industry-led cybersecurity effort of its kind.
“With the growing number of devices connected to the Internet as the foundation of a digital era, the impact of threats and the importance of cybersecurity have never been more serious, and global cooperation in the industry is crucial to make the Internet a safer place. By supporting and joining the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, NTT accelerates our mission to resolve social issues by being ‘Your Value Partner’ for people pursuing digital transformation and improved lives,” said NTT’s Chief Information Security Officer, Shinichi Yokohama.
With the addition of these new signatories, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord continues to deepen its expertise, adding to the variety that characterizes the group. As it continues to expand, the Tech Accord remains open to new private sector signatories, large and small, who are trusted, have high cybersecurity standards, and will adhere unreservedly to the principles of the Accord.
“The strength of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord comes from the breath of the group and the diversity of its signatories,” said Tom Burt, Corporate VP of Customer Security and Trust at Microsoft. “This last year has demonstrated that hardware and software developers, security companies and cloud providers, from all over the world realize the importance of acting responsibly in cyberspace, and that the principles that form the Cybersecurity Tech Accord truly capture the spirit and intent of the entire industry.”
Over the past 11 months, the Tech Accord signatories have partnered to support a range of initiatives that promote a more secure online world, from embracing specific technical solutions to investing in cybersecurity capacity building. These efforts are outlined in a report published today and span the four principles that company signatories committed to when signing the Cybersecurity Tech Accord:
- WE WILL PROTECT ALL OF OUR USERS AND CUSTOMERS EVERYWHERE:
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord signatories have endorsed and promoted effective cybersecurity practices and protocols, including Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC). Signatories have also called on governments and international organizations to strike an appropriate balance between privacy and security in their policymaking. To this end, the Tech Accord addressed ICANN’s decision to restrict users’ access to domain name registration information (WHOIS) following the adoption of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and highlighted the potential risks for customers and users arising from laws such as the Australian Assistance and Access Bill.
- WE WILL OPPOSE CYBERATTACKS ON INNOCENT CITIZENS AND ENTERPRISES FROM ANYWHERE:
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord endorsed the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace as an early supporter, and engaged with the UN High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, stressing the need for any such fora to focus on the security and safety of online users. Moreover, the group has engaged on efforts related to international cybersecurity norms, both at the Internet Governance Forum and the Global Commission for Stability of Cyberspace.
- WE WILL HELP EMPOWER USERS, CUSTOMERS AND DEVELOPERS TO STRENGTHEN CYBERSECURITY PROTECTION:
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord contributed to the discussion on innovative approaches to prepare and grow a sustainable cybersecurity workforce, led by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), by publishing a whitepaper on “Addressing the cybersecurity skills gap through cooperation, education and emerging technologies”. The group also promoted efforts to reduce the number of vulnerabilities online, including the GFCE’s guidance on Global Good Practices on Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD).
- WE WILL PARTNER WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH LIKEMINDED GROUPS TO ENHANCE CYBERSECURITY:
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord signatories partnered with leading organizations in their fields to bring industry expertise to the table and help enhance existing initiatives. This included working with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) to launch a series of webinars on technical best practices to enhance cybersecurity capacity building. In addition, the group has worked with the Internet Society to promote and contribute to their Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS) initiative.
“The Cybersecurity Tech Accord’s contribution to the preparation and the launch of the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace has been instrumental to its success. It is now time to move beyond general principles and implement concrete measures to increase the security of the digital products, processes, and services that all actors rely upon in cyberspace,” said Henri Verdier, French ambassador for digital affairs.
This first year demonstrates that successful collaboration among stakeholders – industry, governments and civil society – can help advance global efforts to protect cyberspace. This industry group looks forward to announcing new initiatives to continue this work throughout 2019.
To read more about how the Cybersecurity Tech Accord lived up to its principles in 2018, check out our report.