Global telcos form cybersecurity alliance

Singapore’s Singtel and Japan’s SoftBank have teamed up with UAE-based Etisalat and Spain’s Telefonica to create the first global telco security alliance.

The new partnership is aimed at providing enterprises with access to a comprehensive portfolio of cyber security services.

The alliance has a combined 1.2 billion customers with a presence in over 60 countries across APAC, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, operate 22 security operations centers (SOCs) and employ more than 6,000 security experts.

Under the agreement, the four operators will share network intelligence on cyber threats and support each other’s customers in allowing them to rapidly respond to cyber threats.

The operators also plan to develop a joint technology roadmap for creating advanced cyber security applications for the IoT, and consider joint investments in new SOCs, cyber security platforms and startups.

“We need swift and coordinated global responses to defend enterprises that operate across transnational borders as cyber threats are increasing in frequency, scale and sophistication,” Singtel CEO of global cybersecurity Art Wong said.

“Singtel and its US-based subsidiary Trustwave are both well-established security leaders across the Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. The group’s resources, combined with those of its alliance partners, will provide a robust cyber security platform to protect our global customers, allowing them to thrive in the digital economy.”

SoftBank head of cloud and cyber security Andrew Schwabecher added that “hackers have well-established and organized communities where they cooperate to produce cyber threats – it’s time that the world’s largest network of operators formed a global alliance to strengthen our defense against these attacks.”