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Trusted computing for all and not the few

Trusted computing initiatives are a must but need to be fair to all parties before it can be accepted, a security expert said in the opening keynote speech of the ISSE/ICCC conference in Berlin.

Speaking to 700 delegates from around the world, Teletrust chairman Norbert Pohlmann said trusted computing "Has to be fair to all. Not only to the big companies that lead this initiative, but also to smaller companies, users and governments."

He urged the industry to work closely with governments and other organisations to create a trusted environment. He also told delegates to let governments know about potential security risks and work together to achieve workable solutions to these problems.

He said Teletrust, a German organisation aimed at promoting the trustworthiness of IT and communication projects, was working to ensure there was a framework in place in trusted computing that allowed smaller players fair access to this market.

He warned that the bigger companies in charge of the scheme could close off and control the market. Pohlmann added government intervention may be necessary to ensure this didn't happen.

Fritz Rudolf Korper, Parliamentary state secretary of the German Interior Ministry said trust was a major factor in IT security among users.

"Half of the world's internet users are afraid going online in case they are being spied on. There has to be trust and the prerequisite of trust is security," said Korpor.

He added that a top priority for his nation's government was the protection of critical infrastructure and making sure continuity was maintained in the event of a disaster or terrorist attack.

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