Real deal or PR move? Cisco, IBM, Intel, Juniper and Microsoft form new security consortium

Here's an interesting idea that could either be a stroke a genius or rather lame. Cisco, IBM, Intel, Juniper and Microsoft today announced that they have formed a consortium to address multi-product security threats. If it works, it will be a source of vendor cooperation that stops the finger pointing. Instead of a not-our-problem attitude by individual vendors, the united group will march into the dark underworld and crush complex multi-product attacks as if stepping on oh-so-many cockroaches.

Or not.

The announcement also has all the makings of a PR maneuver with no substance behind it. First off -- they formed a consortium? Consortiums are so 1980's aren't they? Born of an era where software code was not only proprietary but a closely guarded secret they were the only way a company could cooperate with its rivals was to form in-between partnerships. On the positive side, this group of vendors, which call their new partnership the Industry Consortium for Advancement of Security on the Internet (ICASI), do seem to be the ones the hot seat most often with security attacks. But look at the names NOT on the list. None of the major security vendors are there (Symantec? Check Point?) nor are other industry players also fending off lots of attacks... Apple, Sun, Adobe, Mozilla.

More questions: Why the need for a new group with a new name? There are already countless global Internet security research firms and security storm centers and whatnot. Why not simply fund and cooperate with one of them? Plus, all of these five vendors already have long-standing and complex co-opetition relationships with one another. Couldn't they (and haven't they) always worked with one another to solve security issues?

It is also hard not to wonder if Cisco was a driving force in this. This group was formed and announced during a time when Cisco has been pounded by security scrutiny. Since May 1, Cisco has issued 11 Security Advisories, many covering multiple holes. It has also fended off its first theoretical rootkit attack. In other words, the company's gear is now on the radar of both attackers and security researchers and it is not a comfortable position to be in. (Hey, Cisco, welcome to Microsoft's world.)

Still, skepticism aside, if the group works as advertised it will be a big score for the good guys.

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