Microsoft to Brief Governments on Security Threats

In an effort to fend off the growing threat of governments considering open source software due to continued security flaws in Windows, Microsoft has launched a new initiative to keep governmental organizations in the loop. Through its Security Cooperation Program (SCP), Microsoft will provide information on vulnerabilities not yet available to the public.

The SCP is intended to open lines of communication between Redmond and government officials to "address threats to national security, economic strength and public safety." Governments will receive warning of critical security incidents, advanced notice of Microsoft software updates, as well as details of Microsoft's approach to fixing problems.

"By taking a collaborative approach with global governments, we can bring to bear the combined expertise from public and private sectors and enable governments to better prepare, manage and mitigate the impact of security incidents," said Gerri Elliott, corporate vice president for the worldwide public sector at Microsoft.

Thus far, Canada, Chile, Norway and the state of Delaware have signed up to the program. The SCP is offered free of charge and follows the Government Security Program, which was launched two years ago to provide governments access to Windows and Office source code.

"The Digital Age creates some unique challenges for governments to help secure their computing environments," said Elliott.