In the Cyber Security scene it’s often very easy to only focus on the latest threats and attacks, however, sometimes these events lead to a silver lining. In today’s blog, we’ll be delving into the latest big collaboration between Google, Meta, and Microsoft that will lead to the increased cyber security of millions of mobile devices worldwide.
The Cyber Security App Defence Alliance
Google, Microsoft, and Meta have founded a steering committee to improve app cyber security through a newly restructured App Defence Alliance, which is part of the Linux Foundation family.
The tech trio plans “to expand the scope of the Alliance to foster collaborative implementation of industry standards for app security,” the press release reads
The App Defence Alliance was established by Google in 2019 to ensure the safety of the Google Play Store and the Android app ecosystem. It focused on malware detection and prevention.
What’s Changed Since?
The Alliance expanded its scope in 2022, emphasizing app security standards. It is now home to several industry-wide collaborations for malware mitigation and app cyber security assessments for cloud and mobile applications.
The hope for further evolution is to demonstrate a shared commitment by the members to strengthen app security and related standards across ecosystems. The Alliance now has 17 members.
“The App Defence Alliance will help further strengthen trust and confidence in overall app safety by uniting with others in the industry that share an unwavering commitment to protect users,” said Dave Kleidermacher, VP of Engineering for Android and Made-by-Google Security & Privacy at Google.
Jenny Hall, Director of Reality Labs Trust at Meta, noted that thriving app ecosystems depend on trust, and the Alliance will help to define open data and user protection standards.
Oliver Bell, General Manager of Trust and Privacy at Microsoft, hopes the alliance will help empower developers and end users to “build and trust the huge array of solutions in the third-party application ecosystem.”
General and Contributor Members of the App Defence Alliance include BishopFox, Dekra, ESET, KPMG, Leviathan, Lookout, McAfee, NCC Group, NetSentries Technologies FZCO, NowSecure, Orange Cyberdefense South Africa Ltd, Prescient Security, PwC, Schellman, TAC Security, TrendMicro, and Zimperium.
The Core Principles of The Alliance
Protection– protect users from malware and emerging threats
Collaboration– with industry partners
Education– educate app developers around security & privacy best practices
Transparency– provide transparency to build trust and improve quality across the ecosystem
Evolution– adapt to emerging threats, technologies, and industry changes
Conclusion for Cyber Security Worldwide
In conclusion, the collaboration between Google, Meta, and Microsoft through the App Defence Alliance is a testament to the industry’s commitment to improving app security and setting higher standards.
This partnership represents a significant stride towards ensuring the safety and privacy of users in a world increasingly reliant on mobile applications. It’s a silver lining in the often complex world of cybersecurity, and it demonstrates that, even in the face of ever-evolving threats, we have the capacity to unite, innovate, and protect our digital lives.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this blog. Be sure to watch out for our future weekly blog releases and thanks for reading!
