Will the Cyber-UL concept take hold?

One of the most talked-about concepts in network security-the idea of an Underwriters´ Laboratories-type seal of approval for hardware and software-is about to take full flight. New products deemed to be part of systems with US national security implications must be certified under one of several information assurance schemes and tested by independent laboratories working in concert with colleagues from the federal government. However, whether the new standards will usher in an era of consistency and assurance for systems developers and customers is uncertain. While many vendors and security experts applaud the effort as an important-and workable-step in the quest for a more secure Internet, others think the concept is paradoxically simplistic and confusing.