Signatories including Microsoft, Arm and Trend Micro agree not to take part in cyber-attacksMore than 30 global technology firms have signed up to a “digital Geneva convention”, committing never to partake in cyber-attacks against individuals or businesses. The signatories to the “cybersecurity tech accord”, which include Facebook, Microsoft, Arm and Trend Micro, are largely from the US and western Europe, and do not include companies from the countries seen as most responsible for the recent escalation of digital hostilities, such as Russia, North Korea and Iran. The tech accord commits companies to responsible action in four key areas: strengthening defensive capabilities, refusing to provide offensive ones, helping customers and users defend themselves, and working collectively to minimise the potential for damaging cyber-attacks. He has argued for months that the tech industry needs “a digital Geneva convention that will commit governments to protecting civilians from nation-state attacks in times of peace”. Britain backed the ban, and noted that the firm posed a security risk to British digital infrastructure.

Source: The Guardian April 18, 2018 13:59 UTC