Europe-based web security alliance to see 2015 launch

A European think tank in the mould of the Internet Security Alliance will be launching in the spring.

Richard Knowlton, the director for corporate security from Vodafone group, will be leading the group, to be called the Internet Security Alliance for Europe (or ISAFE).

Knowlton said that RSA executive chairman Art Coviello has given his public support to the European alliance, which will be based in Brussels, Belgium. Coviello gave details of the initiative when speaking at the Evanta Global CISO Executive Summit, commenting:

“Knowlton established a chapter of the Alliance in Europe in the interest of making sure that the security needs of industry are strongly supported by European public policy and legislators.”

Knowlton told SC Magazine that an information security news bulletin is being sent by the group to around 75 large firms.

The ISA, based in the SUA, was formed in 2000 and since then has signed up a number of prestigious members including Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Verizon, in addition to public firms in the fields of manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, education, defence, and aviation.

Congress and White House officials have been previously advised by the think tank on information security issues via a combination of public policy, white papers, thought leadership, and in-person meetings.

A European alliance is needed in a continent that has experienced its fair share of cyber crime in recent years. However, businesses still have a responsibility to play their part, and that starts with filling cyber security jobs.