Abner Stories

Sprint Demands Secure Software

Sprint is demanding secure software. I believe this will help them increase the reliability of their services. Security in the telecom industry used to be focused on fraud - preventing people from obtaining free telco services.

With packet-based networks, the telco threat model has shifted dramatically. Security is now a quality of service issue. Data communications hardware has long had to meet stringent reliability requirements. Security standards will augment those requirements.

I am currently aware of two major corporations with security requirements for software procurement: Sprint and General Electric. If you know of others, please comment.

As a side note - check out how dumb AT&T and Qwest sound in the article for not requiring vendors to deliever secure software.