Jericho Forum to establish legal framework

Influential user group the Jericho Forum plans to become a formal IT security standards body, operating under a legal framework.

The group, which includes BP, HSBC and Royal Mail, will vote to become a formal organisation on November 12, in a move intended to dispel criticisms of anti-competitiveness.

Its 48 members - which include some of the world's most influential businesses - are also in the final stages of drafting a report urging vital improvements to IT security products and say suppliers may lose sales unless they follow proposed guidelines (Computing, 12 August).

'We were getting to the stage where we were starting to affect the market place and we didn't want it to be seen as anti-competitive behaviour,' said David Lacey, Royal Mail director of information security and Jericho Forum chairman.

A legal framework and paid for membership will also help the forum grow internationally, Lacey told Computing.

Existing members will also decide whether vendors will be allowed to join the Jericho Forum in the future.

'Vendors are showing a lot of interest and in most cases they are both end-users and IT security suppliers,' said Lacey. 'But I imagine there will be some different voting rights for them.'