The CSIA Claims
Tested Mark scheme is primarily aimed at IT and information
security managers across the public sector, but is also expected to
serve as a useful guide to small and medium-sized businesses
wanting to know their purchasing meets government's preferred
standards.
The CSIA (Central Sponsor for Information Assurance) is a new
Cabinet Office unit that works with partners in the public and
private sectors, as well as its international counterparts, to help
safeguard the nation's IT and telecommunications services.
According to Jim Murphy, the Cabinet Office Minister with
responsibility for e-government, the scheme will boost confidence
in information security.
It also aims to benefit both vendors and users of information
security products. According to the Cabinet Office, vendors stand
to gain from the rapid approval process (approximately 20 days),
low costs to apply for the Mark (comparative to schemes for
high-end assurance products), and the marketing benefits that come
with a Government-sponsored quality mark.
Buyers of off-the-shelf products and services can be assured
that CCT Mark recipients will deliver what they claim after
independent testing, and benefit from being able to make more
informed purchasing choices, said the Cabinet Office.
The scheme was not planned to be commercially launched until
2006, but after a year in pilot phase the CSIA has recommended that
the Mark go live now.
Encryption security firm BeCrypt, a supplier to the Government,
became the first company to be awarded the Mark at an award
ceremony in Birmingham today. This was for its Connect Protect
product, a device access control solution designed to secure a
desktop or laptop from data leakage through devices such as
removable disk drives, printers and MP3 players.
A second firm, SecureWave, had two of its products awarded the
CCT Mark at the same ceremony.
