Some of the biggest names in IT and service providers including AT&T, Cisco Systems, Fortinet, VMware and Intel today launched an industry group promising solutions that improve the security of data and IT networks.

Called the Network Resilience Coalition, they hope to solve two of the biggest problems for CIOs, CISO and network administrators: The failure to install critical updates in a timely manner, and the lack of network visibility so IT staff can spot irregularities.

Technology companies must find ways to address the continued problem of software and hardware updates and patches not being implemented, the group said in a news release, while also encouraging organizations to have better visibility into their networks to better mitigate cyber risks.

One goal: The creation of a report that has clear, actionable recommendations for improving network security for technology providers, technology users, and those creating or regulating security policy.

“Network resilience is vital to the health of our economy and our interconnected world and there is a need to focus on how to improve the security of the larger ecosystem by all sides working together,” Ari Schwartz, co-ordinator of the U.S.-based Center for Cybersecurity Policy & Law, said in a news release. “Too often we see organizations fall victim to a cyberattack because an existing critical update or patch wasn’t made.”

The Centre is a non-profit that brings together industry leaders with policymakers to find solutions that can help improve the digital security of networks, devices and critical infrastructure. “

Initial group members also include Broadcom, Britain’s BT Group, Juniper Networks,  Lumen Technologies, Palo Alto Networks and Verizon.

More to come from a news conference being held this morning.

The post IT coalition promises to improve patching, network visibility first appeared on IT World Canada.

Leave a Reply