Quad Agrees To Leverage Machine Learning, Related Advanced Technologies To Enhance Cyber Security

Washington: Quad, an informal grouping of four countries Australia, India, Japan and the United States, has agreed to leverage machine learning and related advanced technologies to enhance cyber security, the White House has said.

Officials of Australia, India, Japan and the United States met in New Delhi on January 30-31 for the Quad Senior Cyber Group, during which they reaffirmed their commitment to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, it said.

In the longer term, the Group committed to leveraging machine learning and related advanced technologies to enhance cyber security and establish secure channels for Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and private sector threat information sharing, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.

The Group also committed to creating a framework and methodology for ensuring supply chain security and resilience for information communication technologies (ICT) and operational technology (OT) systems of critical sectors, it said, adding these objectives form an important part of the future-looking, leading-edge work plan for the Group.

The White House said progress on these objectives will enhance Quad members’ national cyber capabilities, lowering the number of serious cyber incidents and improving their response capabilities. Closer collaboration on machine learning research will enable better detection of network intrusions and improve cyber risk management of critical infrastructure, it said.

The framework for security threat information sharing by CERTs and private sector entities will enable better real-time cooperation and assessments as cyber incidents arise, the White House said. A supply chain methodology will encourage major software services, products, and providers leveraged by governments to adhere to a Quad-endorsed best practice guideline for cyber security ICT and OT requirements for critical infrastructure, it added.