Trade Groups Launch Security Assessment Tools

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1403346,00.asp

By Matt Hicks 
December 3, 2003 

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Leading technology industry groups used the
National Cyber Security Summit being held here to introduce Wednesday
new tools for assessing information while deflecting criticism that
industry initiatives so far have failed to fortify cyberspace.

The Information Technology Association of America announced plans for
a national security readiness survey of enterprises to be conducted in
conjunction with the Marshall School of Business at the University of
Southern California. The results of the semi-annual assessment will
help measure the nation's state of information security and pinpoint
areas needed for improvement, said the trade group's president, Harris
Miller.

Meanwhile, TechNet, a group representing tech company CEOs and senior
executives, unveiled its Corporate Information Security Evaluation.  
The evaluation, previewed on Wednesday and set for a final release in
January, is a series of about 80 questions for CEOs to help them
determine the security preparedness of their businesses.

"Whether CEOs know it or not, they have a strong fiduciary
responsibility around information security," said Art Coviello,
president and CEO of RSA Security, during a press conference at the
security summit.

Both efforts come as the industry and Department of Homeland Security
try to jumpstart action on the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace,
an administration plan released almost a year ago. After the
resignation of the White House cyber-security czar in January, the
Homeland Security Department in June formed the National Cyber
Security Division. Its director, Amit Yoran, didn't come on board
until October.

The IT industry has been loathe to accept any legislation or
government regulations that require reporting of security breaches or
the use of security technology or methods, and the administration has
largely agreed with it. Reporting of security breaches has remained
voluntary.

Pressed on why the industry wouldn't accept reporting requirements,
ITAA's Miller said that businesses already are heavily focused on
information security and pointed to the new survey and CEO tools as
the beginning of broader steps that the industry will be taking.

Outside the ballrooms of the Santa Clara Marriott, where Wednesday's
summit was held, security experts were skeptical that the industry
groups' latest actions will do much to comprehensively address
cyber-security.

While government regulation may not be the answer, the industry needs
to agree to and adhere to standards for delivering secure IT products,
something the trade groups have been resisting, said Alan Paller,
director of research at the SANS Institute. He dismissed new surveys
as an effective way to address security.

"The only beneficiaries are the companies selling surveys or that are
selling security," he said. "You don't do [security] because someone
runs a survey but because you feel a key pain."

For its part, the federal government should lead by example and add
security requirements across its procurement of technology, Paller
said.

Homeland security officials repeatedly stressed that their
cyber-security effort is a partnership with the private sector, but
they also expressed a willingness to be more aggressive if the tech
industry doesn't make progress.

The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace avoided recommending any
specific legislation or regulations, Yoran said, but the Homeland
Security Department has not ruled out legislation or regulation -
especially if industry efforts prove to be incomplete.

Robert Liscouski, the Department of Homeland Security's assistant
secretary for infrastructure protection, took a tougher stance after
repeated questions from reporters about the lack of security
requirements or regulations.

"We are not going to let anyone who operates in this space dodge from
their responsibility," he said. "We want to see results. - Regulation
is not off the table, but at the end of the day that's not where we
want to be."



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