Whitehall launches IT security product kitemark

The government will today (Thursday) launch the UK’s first accreditation scheme aimed at ensuring that off-the-shelf IT security products meet basic quality standards.

The Cabinet Office’s Central Sponsor for Information Assurance (CSIA) unit, which is responsible for the scheme, is also urging that the Claims Tested Mark be adopted as a security standard across the public sector.

Jim Murphy, Cabinet Office minister with responsibility for egovernment, will launch the scheme at an industry security conference in Birmingham. He will tell delegates how accreditation is essential if central government, public sector agencies and local authorities are to have confidence in the technical security claims made by vendors.

‘As public sector services and information systems become joined up, the government is taking steps to ensure these systems are protected,’ said Murphy.

CSIA has been testing the scheme for nearly a year (Computing, 7 October 2004), and hopes it will help IT managers improve how they select security products.

The government-sponsored quality mark to certify vendor products will also benefit small and medium-sized businesses seeking IT security assurance.

‘The Claims Tested Mark will help vendors and buyers alike, and guarantees that information assurance in public sector organisations retains high levels of public confidence,’ said Murphy.

IT security firms BeCrypt and SecureWave, which took part in the trials (Computing, 7 April), are the first two companies to receive the kitemark.

But from today, all vendors will be able to register for the scheme via the CSIA web site.