The firms have formed the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC) to facilitate the sharing of threat and vulnerability information. The group's aim is to enhance the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of networked information systems.

The move is part of an ongoing cross-industry and government partnership to improve network security and reliability. Following the shutdown of several Internet sites by denial of service attacks, IT industry leaders last February committed to forming the group during a White House meeting on cyber security issues.

The not-for-profit corporation will allow the information technology industry to report and exchange information concerning electronic incidents, threats, attacks, vulnerabilities, solutions and countermeasures, best security practices and other protective measures. The organization will "collect, synthesize, and disseminate information about threats and coordinate the information technology industry's response to such threats."

Membership in the IT-ISAC is open to all U.S.-based information technology companies. Annual dues are $5,000.

The other members are: AT&T, CSC, EDS, Entrust Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel Corp., Nortel Networks, Oracle Corp., RSA Security, Security Inc., Symantec Corp., Titan Systems Corp., Veridian and VeriSign Inc.

The federal government will not play an immediate role in the organization. Under current plans, companies can, at their discretion and through their own channels, share information with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and law enforcement directly, but not through the IT-ISAC. Eventually, the IT-ISAC board said it might decide on a more direct relationship with the government.

-- SmartPros News Staff

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