The security industry has long lagged behind cybercriminals when it comes to sharing intelligence. But the trend toward building partnerships in order to protect businesses, governments and consumers from cybercrimes in today’s fast-expanding threat landscape is on the rise.
In a press release issued today, Europol announced that BT has signed on as a knowledge-sharing partner. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed at Europol's headquarters in The Hague in the Netherlands, sets forth standards for BT and Europol to not only share threat intelligence but also exchange information about new and emerging security trends and industry best practices.
A branch of Europol, the European Cybercrime Center (EC3) was created in 2013 to better protect EU citizens, businesses and governments against cybercrimes. EC3 head of business Steve Wilson anticipates that the partnership will enhance law enforcement's ability to both prevent and disrupt crime.
"Working co-operation of this type between Europol and industry is the most effective way in which we can hope to secure cyberspace for European citizens and businesses. I am confident that the high level of expertise that BT bring will result in a significant benefit to our Europe-wide investigations," Wilson said.
In early 2018, BT launched its free, collaborative platform for sharing malware information, which enabled the company to start sharing intelligence on malicious software and websites with other ISPs. BT has since identified more than 200,000 domains and shared actionable intelligence that has allowed customers to better defend against specific threats.
With the goal of creating a safer digital world, the agreement between BT and Europol is an important step forward when it comes to bridging the worlds of the private and public sectors.
“We’re working with other law enforcement agencies in a similar vein to better share cyber security intelligence, expertise and best practice to help them expose and take action against the organised gangs of cyber criminals lurking in the dark corners of the web. The signing of today’s accord with Europol sees BT take another significant step forward in making the internet a safer place for consumers, businesses and public sector bodies in the UK, Europe and beyond,” said Kevin Brown, VP, BT security threat intelligence.