UAE-based Symantec said it has signed a deal with ITU, the leading United Nations (UN) agency for information and communication technology issues, to help make cyberspace a safer and more secure place.

A leading provider of security, storage and systems management solutions, Symantec said as per the deal ITU will use Symantec’s security intelligence – in the form of its quarterly Internet Security Threat Reports – to increase understanding of and readiness for cybersecurity risks.

By distributing this report – which captures data from across Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network – to interested member states, ITU aims to help better prepare governments in developing and developed nations alike to respond to the ever-growing risk from malware, cyber attackers and information thieves.

The ITU, based in Geneva, Switzerland, has a strong membership including 192 member states and more than 700 sector members and associates. It is also the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services. 

Commenting on the partnership, Enrique Salem, president and chief executive officer of Symantec, said: 'Over the past year and a half, the researchers that make up Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network have noted a dramatic increase in the number of cyberattacks, as well as the growing sophistication and impact of threats.'

'The partnership between ITU and Symantec will facilitate an increased understanding of cybersecurity risks and how they can be reduced, increasing confidence in new and emerging technologies and facilitating the evolution of the digital world,' he  explained.

According to him, this alliance will help make cyberspace a safer, more secure place to be for consumers and businesses alike.

'It will help raise awareness and knowledge transfer besides complementing the work of ITU and strengthening its effectiveness as a global forum for governments and private sector to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs,' Salem added.-TradeArabia News Service