MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 6, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. today convened Trusted Computing Forum 2001, a three-day working session that brings together more than 150 leaders from government, business, academic and advocacy groups to address key issues in the protection of personal information and critical infrastructures. Building on the progress made at last year’s SafeNet 2000 Summit, this event provides a forum for leading technology stakeholders to collaborate and define methods for increasing user trust in computing.
In a keynote to open the forum, Craig Mundie, chief technical officer of Advanced Strategy and Policy at Microsoft, presented a frank look at the current security and privacy landscape. Mundie called upon both Microsoft and the industry to bring diverse opinions and approaches to the event, with the goal of ultimately building a greater universal trust in computing technology and online activities for individuals, governments and corporations worldwide.
“As an industry leader, Microsoft recognizes the duty and privilege we have to facilitate open discussions on the issue of trust and how that translates to building better privacy through secure systems,” Mundie said. “The horrific events of Sept. 11 emphasize the enormous need for coordination, humility and prioritization in a new world.”
Mundie presented a framework for building trust, which included driving disparate parties toward consensus on goals of accountability, reliability and integrity. He challenged the group to engage in constructive debate, agree on a common vocabulary and commit to solving big problems.
“Any serious consensus on these issues cannot be found in a vacuum and will take the commitment of everyone involved to make real progress,” said Ari Schwartz, associate director of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT). “Bringing leaders together to collaborate in working forums such as this will benefit everyone who cares about privacy and security.”
Personal Liberty vs. National Security
Following Mundie’s address, several experts will lead a discussion on Finding the Balance: Personal Liberties vs. National Security to examine the impact of Sept. 11 and whether a trade-off is necessary to protect citizens from intrusion while ensuring they are protected from criminal activities against a nation and its people. Panel participants, with diverse representation ranging from the CDT to the California Highway Patrol Network Management Section, will lead a dialogue to frame a clear view of the industry’s role and the risks involved in pitting liberties against security. Leading presenters include the following:
-
Stewart A. Baker, partner at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC and former general counsel for the National Security Agency
-
Alan Davidson, associate director of CDT
-
Rebecca Cohn, member of the California State Assembly
-
Alex Jones, deputy commissioner of the California Highway Patrol
-
Deborah Pierce, executive director of Privacyactivism.org
Establishing Tools and Accountability
The forum will include panels and working group sessions on topics such as industry accountability, a national ID system, vulnerability reporting, and technology tools and systems needed to effectively address security and privacy issues.
On Wednesday, Nov. 7, Commissioner Mozelle Thompson from the Federal Trade Commission will discuss roles and responsibilities of both the private and public sectors to establish privacy best practices that will raise consumer confidence in online services.
At a dinner keynote address on Wednesday evening, Richard Clarke, special advisor to the President for cyberspace security under the newly established Office of Homeland Security, will present the current national security landscape, the challenge that the government faces in addressing this threat, and what the industry must do to effectively coordinate with all stakeholders.
“It is imperative in this time of national uncertainty that the technology and online industry step up to the plate and work with those of us in government to form a united, coordinated initiative that can address the critical threats that our nation faces,” Clarke said. “Microsoft’s Trusted Computing Forum can be a catalyst toward that goal.”
On Thursday, Nov. 8, following a discussion of privacy tools and technologies, Brian Arbogast, vice president of Microsoft®
.NET Core Platform Services, will demonstrate new tools emerging in an era of Web services. Arbogast will discuss how security and privacy components are central to building effective authentication mechanisms and network systems that move such services toward mainstream users whose trust will be measured in marketplace adoption.
The event will conclude on Thursday, Nov. 8, with all working group sessions providing consensus reports to identify realistic next steps that will follow the Trusted Computing forum.
Ongoing coverage of this forum can be found at the Trusted Computing Virtual Pressroom at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/trustedcomputing01/ .
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
