The Open Group has launched an accreditation program to assure the integrity of commercial information and communication technology products.
Called the Open Trusted Technology Provider Standard (O-TTPS) Accreditation Program, this is intended to assure integrity in technology development and to prevent maliciously tainted and counterfeit products from entering the supply chain.
Companies seeking O-TTPS Accreditation can choose to be accredited for compliance with the O-TTPS standard for a specific product line, business unit or within one or more individual products.
Sally Long, director of the Open Group Trusted Technology Forum, said: “Being able to identify accredited organisations not only benefits commercial customers and governments, it also benefits COTS ICT providers, who can identify and choose to work with accredited component suppliers – thus enabling a holistic approach that is essential to raising the bar for all constituents in the supply chain.”
Organisations applying to become O-TTPS accredited are required to provide evidence of conformance to each of the O-TTPS requirements, demonstrating they have the processes in place to secure their in-house development and their supply chains across the entire COTS ICT product lifecycle, including the design, sourcing, build, fulfilment, distribution, sustainment and disposal phases.
Edna Conway, chief security officer, global supply chain, Cisco Systems and Vice-Chair of The Open Group Trusted Technology Forum, said: “The robust and cross-industry method through which the O-TTPS Accreditation Policy was developed has delivered a transparent, credible process with integrity.”
The Open Group is also announcing the O-TTPS Recognised Assessor Program, which assures that individuals and companies meet an additional set of criteria and have passed the O-TTPS Assessor exam, before they can be assigned to an O-TTPS Assessment.
