Press Release
Manhattan's DA Office, City of London Police, Center for Internet Security announce formation of Global Cyber Alliance
First-of-Its-Kind International Not-For-Profit Organization to Confront and Prevent Malicious Cyber Activity
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., City of London Police Commissioner Adrian Leppard, and the Center for Internet Security (CIS) today announced the formation of the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), an international, cross-sector effort designed to confront, address, and prevent malicious cyber activity. The announcement was made at the International Conference on Combating Financial and Cyber Threats Affecting Global Financial Centres, hosted by the City of London Police. District Attorney Vance delivered the keynote opening address in London.
“A crime prevented is far better than a crime prosecuted,” said District Attorney Vance. “But when information about a cyber threat or attack is not divulged, other institutions – and perhaps entire industries – remain vulnerable. Serving as a voluntary clearinghouse, the Global Cyber Alliance will share and disseminate this kind of crucial information across sectors in real time. Currently, the cyber landscape is dotted with entities that are either for-profit or divided by region or industry. The Global Cyber Alliance has no such restrictions or limitations, crossing borders and sectors in an effort to map, understand, and thwart cybercrime, with no profit motive attached, and no goal other than the prevention of future crimes. Today, we are inaugurating a new, better, international approach to fighting this global problem.”
City of London Police Commissioner Leppard said: “Protection from cyber attacks is a huge challenge for businesses and organisations across the globe. The threat doesn’t respect national borders or legal jurisdictions and the solution to the challenge should recognise this. Today’s announcement should be a sign that the partnership between our nations can continue to protect us today and into the future from those that would use technology against us.”
Global Cyber Alliance Strategic Adviser Will Pelgrin, former CEO and President of the Center for Internet Security, said: “Cyber crimes have become a worldwide epidemic with estimates of a half billion global cyber victims annually. We must treat cyber security threats and crimes as we would any widespread infectious disease – immediately, urgently and collectively. Cyber risks have reached catastrophic proportions and, therefore, require an unparalleled, public/private and transnational response. The Global Cyber Alliance is a not-for-profit operational organization that was created to confront these cyber risks by building a cyber ecosystem for positive change. Bringing transnational/cross sector global leaders and cyber experts together will truly make a difference by focusing on a common mission that is driven by an altruistic approach. The Alliance concept is simple but powerful – collectively, we are much more powerful to act than individually. I applaud the New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. for his leadership and vision. I thank him for providing the critical funding and leadership necessary to develop unique Global Cyber Alliance organization. CIS is honored to be partnered with District Attorney Vance and the City of London Commissioner of Police, Adrian Leppard. Working together, I am positive we will make a difference.”
Center for Internet Security CEO Jane Holl Lute said: “The Global Cyber Alliance represents the kind of bold move necessary to help confront the cyber challenges we face worldwide. The Alliance will make practical, effective action a priority, and reach out broadly – irrespective of geographic boundaries or sectors – to build a truly inclusive and collaborative approach to cybersecurity. The Alliance will bring together some of the world’s very best cybersecurity professionals to accelerate the implementation of sound cyber hygiene practices – measures that we know help prevent or contain the majority of attacks we see commonly today. Our aim is to help chart a new course to a safer online world.”
The Global Cyber Alliance will be headquartered in New York City and London – two leading financial centers of the world with numerous transnational corporations – and will focus on building a stronger global cyber landscape. As a not-for-profit organization, it will bring together many of the leading global experts in cyber security, including security operations centers, key global organizations and associations, security emergency incident response teams, development and research centers, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs), and other critical stakeholder organizations and individuals. Members will identify global threats, form action teams, and design approaches to confront and prevent these threats.
In order to address the most pressing cyber security concerns of our time – cyber attacks, extreme vulnerabilities in cyber infrastructure, financial and other online crimes, and the lack of effective education and prevention methodologies – the Global Cyber Alliance seeks to foster international, coordinated collaboration to reduce and prevent malicious cyber activity. To protect its members and the public at large, the Global Cyber Alliance will not collect any Personal Identifiable Information, and will only possess what is voluntarily provided – data that describes or identifies the attackers’ information, such as location or infrastructure, and the threats associated with them.
The growing list of partners and leaders who have already joined the Global Cyber Alliance include leaders from security, defense, retail, healthcare, insurance, energy, aviation, education, law enforcement, government, and finance institutions, including American Express, Barclays Bank, Citibank, US Bank, and the Financial Services ISAC.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has committed $25 million in criminal asset forfeiture proceeds to fund this critical work – an initial investment of $15 million over the first three years with an additional $10 million to follow. The Global Cyber Alliance will seek additional funding from members and partners. The City University of New York’s Institute for State and Local Governanceis acting as the technical assistance consultant for this effort.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said: “To ensure that New York City remains the safest big city in the nation – both online and on the street – we can and must remain alert and proactive in how we confront and contain threats to cyber-security. I congratulate Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office for this important investment in the Global Cyber Alliance, which will bolster our capacity to ensure that New York City remains a safe place to live, work, and visit as well as advance our commitment to promote cyber security in an increasingly interconnected world.”
New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said: “As technology has advanced, so have the criminals, who are ever eager to exploit the anonymity of the internet with just a few clicks of a mouse. This collective effort is critical in combating the global issue of cybercrime. I commend the Manhattan District Attorney, along with our many partners in this endeavor, for taking this important step.”
Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary and University of California President Janet Napolitano said: “In today’s dynamic and ever evolving world of rapid technical innovation, interactive and interoperable systems, and big data, all organizations, regardless of sector or location, are in need of effective solutions for predicting and responding to cyber threats. The Global Cyber Alliance provides an important new approach to eliminating silos and barriers, focusing on collaboration and results.”
National Health ISAC (NH-ISAC) Executive Director Denise Anderson said: “The Global Cyber Alliance takes on the task of fixing the fundamental problems associated with cyber vulnerabilities and attacks. With data, devices and processes becoming more connected to the Internet, as they are in the health care sector, this task becomes critical. The National Health ISAC is pleased to support this important effort.”
Downstream Natural Gas ISAC (DNG-ISAC) Threat Analyst John Bryk said: “The Downstream Natural Gas (DNG)-ISAC Threat Collaboration Portal (TCP) provides a central repository for multi-directional cyber and physical threat information and reporting. Participants may share in attributed or anonymous formats with the entire DNG community or to specific members. The platform is hosted on the Microsoft Azure cloud, provides multi-factor authentication, audited user access, encrypted data at rest and in motion and regular vulnerability testing and assessment for security. Though relatively new, DNG has already demonstrated a global reach in defending the U.S. Infrastructure against international threats. DNG looks forward to expanded opportunities for sharing and cooperating with the Global Cyber Alliance.”
Google Chief Internet Evangelist Vint Cerf said: “There are many existing regional and sector-based communities that address online threats. The Global Cyber Alliance plans to bridge these efforts with an operational platform focused on bringing concrete results to cybersecurity collaboration. I am pleased to contribute to this global effort and I look forward its potential.”
DeepEnd Research Security Researcher Andre DiMino said: “The rapid evolution of cyber security threats necessitates a similar evolution in strategic partnerships to coordinate and respond to these threats. The efforts of the Global Cyber Alliance will build a significant multi-tiered cooperation among a variety of organizations and individuals. This global cooperation will foster the aggregation and correlation of a wide variety of threat data, and will result in actionable intelligence for their constituent’s security program. We are proud and honored to be part of the Global Cyber Alliance, and look forward to supporting their mission.”
Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (R-CISC) Executive Director Brian Engle said: “The R-CISC is proud to be considered among the many great organizations that have come together as charter members of the Global Cyber Alliance. Addressing risk as it relates to the cyber realm is truly a global issue, and the R-CISC is committed to helping achieve the global level of success that is the aim of the GCA.”
American Express Chief Information Security Officer Fred Gibbons said: “American Express supports the work of this new Global Cyber Alliance. We commend New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. for his leadership in bringing together the public and private sectors in a more holistic way to confront the many challenges associated with cybercrime. As a company with offices throughout the world and a passion for the safety of its customers, we fully recognize the importance of timely information sharing across sectors and borders. We look forward to working with the Global Cyber Alliance.”
Hathaway Global Strategies, LLC President Melissa Hathaway, former Acting Senior Director for Cyberspace in the National Security Council, said: “The establishment of the Global Cyber Alliance is an important international initiative, that will foster transnational partnerships to address the threats to our digital environment.”
CrowdStrike Services President Shawn Henry, former FBI Executive Assistant Director,said: “As we know all too well, the benefits of our cyber world are many, but there have been too many costs and complications introduced by the networked world. These days, we are dealing not only with independent actors aggressively targeting government, military, and commercial networks, but also nation-state directed attacks designed to either procure intelligence or disrupt critical state functions, such as the provision of essential services. There is a critical need for a unique approach that brings corporate and government leaders, academics, law enforcement, researchers and practitioners together in a trusted, collaborative and cooperative manner to address cyber security problems at a global scale. I am honored to be part of the Global Cyber Alliance, which is dedicated to eradicating cyber risk, improving the safety and security of our connected world, and bringing cyber criminals to justice. I fully support its formation and mission to do public good, and make our networks safer.”
Defense Security Information Exchange Executive Director Carlos Kizzee said: “The Defense Security Information Exchange (DSIE) applauds the foresight, innovation, and commitment of the New York County District Attorney’s Office, the City of London Police, and the Center for Internet Security in developing the Global Cyber Alliance. DSIE is a committed Charter Member of the Alliance, and in that role, supports the development and implementation of this collective effort to prevent cyber threats impacting our increasingly connected global community.”
Defense Industrial Base ISAC (DIB-ISAC) Executive Director Steve Lines said: “The Defense Industrial Base has been combating cyber espionage and crime for many years. The Defense Industrial Base Information Sharing Analysis Center (DIB ISAC) believes that the only effective way to stay ahead of the adversary is through cross sector and international cooperation. As such, we support the Global Cyber Alliance in its mission to support International collaboration.”
The City University of New York Chancellor James Milliken said: “The City University of New York is very pleased to partner with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance as a charter member of the Global Cyber Alliance, dedicated to confronting cyber security risks. CUNY has a long history of productive collaborations with the District Attorney and industry leaders, working with faculty and students throughout the University on educating students in preparation for careers in related fields— and including programs involving John Jay College. We especially look forward to the expansion of opportunities for student internships and research as this initiative flourishes.”
Financial Services ISAC (FS-ISAC) President and CEO Bill Nelson said: “Just like any other global problem, we need a collective approach to fight the cyber security threats. Global Cyber Alliance is one such effort. We must work towards a common goal of eliminating cyber risks. I look forward to being part of the leadership advisory team of this exciting new effort. I am confident it will result in a safer online experience for everyone around the globe.”
Barclays Bank PLC Group Chief Information Security Officer Troels Oerting, former Head of Europol’s Cybercrime Centre (EC3), said: “Consumers and enterprises alike in today’s marketplace must have confidence in the transactions that we now take for granted in cyberspace. Unfortunately, cyber criminals and others determined to cause harm in today’s online world have operated too long with advantage. The Global Cyber Alliance is exactly the kind of unique, pragmatic collaboration between the public and private sector that the world needs to tackle these threats. I am pleased to join its Advisory Board to help its efforts reach as widely and deeply as possible.”
SANS Institute Founder and Director of Research Alan Paller said: “The new waves of attacks, like those against the Office of Personnel Management and United and American Airlines, cross industrial sector lines and are being repeated in multiple nations. Today, victims have no effective means of sharing detailed information on these global attacks early enough to enable timely action – nor to identify global actions that they can take to reduce the threat. The GCA offers the most promising approach we have seen to meeting these global challenges, and we at SANS, on behalf of our more than 120,000 cyber security alumni in 70 countries, are fully committed to helping make it successful. Specifically, as Target and American Airlines so starkly illustrated, technical staff members who lack the skills to act effectively on early ‘indicators of compromise (IOC)’ leave their organizations wide open to debilitating attacks even if the needed data arrives in time. We will commit more than $1,000,000 in scholarships for hands-on training for organizations that participate in GCA to ensure their staff have the skills to take full advantage of the information that GCA will be sharing.”
Current Chair of National Computer Forensic Technology Association (NCFTA) Ron Plesco said: “NCFTA is committed to partnering with important organizations to help address the cyber risks we all face today. The Global Cyber Alliance is one such organization that provides a critical component to the fight against cyber threats. As Chair of NCFTA, I look forward to developing a strong working relationship with the Global Cyber Alliance – maximizing our respective strengths for the betterment of the global community.”
Deloitte Center for Cyber Innovation Chairman Lt. Gen. Harry Raduege, Jr., (USAF, Ret.), said: “In order to confront the daunting cyber risks we face today, there is a critical need for a new and unique approach that establishes a viable, collaborative public-private partnership approach to address the major cyber risks which increasingly are challenging all of us in cyberspace today. As such, I am pleased to be part of this effort and to lend my experience in supporting the mission of Global Cyber Alliance in its critical mission of improving Internet security.”
Aetna Chief Information Security Officer Jim Routh said: “The cyber security landscape is consistently evolving for private enterprises today. The mission of Global Cyber Alliance is essential to leverage transnational and cross-sector collaboration to confront cyber risks and address approaches that work across borders.”
Ridge-Schmidt Cyber, LLC Partner Howard Schmidt, former Cyber Advisor to Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, said: “The Internet connects us in ways that no other invention ever has. We need to leverage that connectivity in meaningful ways in order to both protect and advance society. The Global Cyber Alliance will offer a needed and trusted venue which transcends geographic location and sector-driven analysis to build a global ecosystem of real-time intelligence that informs and mobilizes positive action. I am happy to support GCA and look forward to lending my expertise as one of its first strategic advisors. GCA is important to be a not for profit dedicated to its mission to confronting cyber risk, bringing criminals to justice, and improving our connected-world. Cyber risks have reached catastrophic proportions and, therefore, require an unparalleled, public/private and transnational response. We need, and must have, aspirational goals of developing solutions to eliminating cyber risks, where feasible; bringing those who use cyber to cause harm to justice and protecting the privacy of the connected world.”
NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering Dean Katepalli R. Sreenivasan said: “New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering congratulates the New York County District Attorney’s Office, the City of London Police, and the Center for Internet Security for their innovative approach for confronting cyber threats. The Global Cyber Alliance is a truly new approach – a partnership to confront Cyber threats across borders and affecting multiple sectors. As an educational leader based in New York, but with affiliations and campuses throughout the world, we fully support the Alliance’s mission. NYU School of Engineering looks forward to having our professors and students working with The Alliance on these critical issues.”
Partnership for New York City President and CEO Kathryn Wylde said: “The Global Cyber Alliance addresses the growing need for a network dedicated to prevention of cyber crimes that transcends national jurisdictions and industry silos. New York’s international business community fully supports this initiative.”
