Open Security Exchange Comes Under ISTO Umbrella

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The recently formed Open Security Exchange (OSE), which seeks to promote
the integration of disparate components of security infrastructure, took
another step forward Monday as it selected the IEEE Industry Standards and
Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO) to provide strategic, administrative
and management support for the organization.

OSE is an industry forum established in April 2003 by Computer Associates,
smart card solutions provider Gemplus, HID (a maker of contactless access
control readers and cards for the security industry), and Tyco Fire &
Security’s Software House (a provider of integrated physical security). It
is dedicated to promoting the adoption of interoperability specifications
in physical and cyber security, and to educate the marketplace about
security best practices.

When it formed, OSE cited lack of integration of physical and cyber
security technologies as “the most glaring example of how security
management remains fragmented at most organizations today.”

OSE set out to create standards for more effective exchange of
enterprise-wide security data to deal with that issue, noting that they
would allow organizations to reduce both their exposure to a diverse range
of threats and their total operation costs.

By joining as a program of the IEEE-ISTO, OSE said its members can focus
their efforts on that mission while handing administrative and management
duties over to IEEE-ISTO. Additionally, the organization said that joining
IEEE-ISTO fulfills its promise to have vendor neutral administration.

“We look forward to working with OSE members to facilitate the development
of the specifications, and the marketing and interoperability activities
that will support implementation and acceptance of the specifications in
the marketplace,” said Peter Lefkin, ISTO’s chief operating officer and
chief financial officer.

IEEE-ISTO is affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) and the IEEE Standards Organization. ISTO is a non-profit
that provides a legal umbrella for groups like OSE, as well as program
management support. Other ISTO programs include 1355 Association, Broadband
Wireless Internet Forum, Customized Learning Experience Online (CLEO) Lab,
Liberty Alliance Project, Medical Device Communications Industry Group,
Nexus 5001 Forum, Printer Working Group and VoiceXML Forum.

OSE also noted that it has now formed subcommittees, and that it will name
its board members during its first member meeting, which will be held on
Oct. 1, in conjunction with the National Security Summit (NSS) in
Washington, D.C.