ETSI security standardization

Information security standards are essential to ensure interoperability among systems and networks, compliance with legislations and adequate levels of security. These standards provide the means for protecting the user, creating a more secure and profitable environment for the industrial sector, from SMEs to large global companies, and providing benefits for a diverse range of interest groups that include government organisations, research bodies and universities. The increasingly rapid evolution and growth in the complexity of new systems and networks, coupled with the sophistication of changing threats and the presence of intrinsic vulnerabilities, present demanding challenges for maintaining the security of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems and networks. To minimise exposure to risks, security must be built in from the beginning when designing new architectures, not added on later as an optional feature. As a response to such challenges, ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, is committed to the establishment and continuous improvement of effective and interoperable telecommunications systems for the benefit of the global community. As such, ETSI is a key player of the global Cybersecurity efforts, by addressing security issues in a broad number of areas including Next Generation Networks (NGN), protecting communications and the ICT infrastructure, working on mobile/wireless communications, emergency telecommunications, lawful interception and data retention.