Advanced Cyber Defence Systems (ACDS) has recently announced its participation in the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) and UK National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Secure by Design pledge, joining the ranks of major industry players such as AWS, Microsoft, Google, Cisco, and IBM. This move makes ACDS one of the first 100 companies to commit to enhancing product security within the next year as part of this important initiative.
The Secure by Design pledge, which focuses on enterprise software products and services in the US, encompasses seven key security goals aimed at bolstering cybersecurity measures. These goals include increasing the use of multi-factor authentication, reducing reliance on default passwords, eliminating specific vulnerabilities, improving security patch installation processes, establishing a vulnerability disclosure policy, ensuring transparency in incident and vulnerability reporting, and simplifying intrusion detection for customers.
The escalating threats faced by US critical infrastructure from Chinese government-backed cyber groups like Volt Typhoon have put a spotlight on the importance of initiatives like the Secure by Design pledge. This issue has been a major talking point at CyberUK this week, with key figures such as US National Cyber Director Harry Coker and GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler discussing the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to combat both nation-state actors and criminal organizations.
Participating software manufacturers have the flexibility to determine the most effective ways to achieve and demonstrate progress toward each of the security goals outlined in the pledge. They may choose to take action across all their products or focus on a selected subset while outlining a roadmap for addressing the remaining products.
Elliott Wilkes, CTO at Advanced Cyber Defence Systems, emphasized the significance of the company’s decision to sign the Secure by Design pledge, highlighting ACDS’s unwavering dedication to cybersecurity and its commitment to safeguarding clients and the wider community. Wilkes expressed pride in being an early adopter of the principles and actions laid out in the pledge, stressing the importance of technology vendors taking proactive measures to defend against the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks. By aligning with industry leaders and adhering to baseline security standards, ACDS aims to bolster cyber resilience, contribute to national security, enhance global stability, improve product security, and demonstrate corporate responsibility.
In conclusion, ACDS’s participation in the Secure by Design pledge underscores its proactive stance towards cybersecurity and its commitment to ensuring the highest level of security for its products and services. By joining forces with other industry leaders in this initiative, ACDS is taking a significant step towards enhancing cybersecurity measures and protecting against evolving cyber threats.