Quad nations Australia, India, Japan and the United States are set to deepen cybersecurity cooperation as they meet in Tokyo today.
The Quad Cybersecurity Partnership seeks to build resilience across the four countries in response to cybersecurity vulnerabilities and cyber threats. Its areas of focus are critical-infrastructure protection, led by Australia; supply-chain resilience and security, led by India; workforce development and talent, led by Japan; and software security standards, led by the United States. It works to prevent cyber incidents, prepare national and international capabilities for potential cyber incidents, and/or respond quickly and effectively to a cyber incident, when or should one occur.
Going forward, the partnership will strengthen information-sharing among Quad country Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT), including exchanges on lessons learned and best practices.
The Quad will also work to improve software and Managed Service Provider (MSP) security by coordinating cybersecurity standards for Quad governments’ procurement of software.
Quad partners will launch a Cybersecurity Day campaign, open to countries across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, as part of continuing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and action. This program will provide basic cybersecurity information and training to the most vulnerable sectors of our countries and regions, including schoolchildren, small businesses, and the elderly. Quad partners will lead this campaign in partnership with industry, non-profits, academia, and communities to maximize its effectiveness and reach.
Additionally, through a new Memorandum of Cooperation on 5G Supplier Diversification and Open RAN, the Quad will cooperate on technical exchanges and testbed activity to advance interoperability and telecommunications cybersecurity.
