A suite of global technical standards for enhancing cybersecurity protection on all kinds of ICT systems, equipment, and software has been adopted by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Termed as "CYBEX", these standards address the structured exchange of cybersecurity information and provide “coherent specifications allowing different operators, systems, and security communities to communicate vital cybersecurity information to each other, enhance protection, and identify and understand attacks.”

The ITU blog post that made this announcement added that ITU’s security study group (ITU-T Study Group 17) has started new work on continuous security monitoring using CYBEX techniques. The work, which may also be applicable to Smart Grid electrical power management as well as cloud computing and virtualization environments will focus on the use of these standards by enterprises and network operators. The goal is "to enhance their individual and collective cybersecurity and reduce their risks," the notice said. "Experts say the complexity of existing network infrastructures, equipment, software, and services renders enterprises constantly vulnerable and subject to compromise."

ITU Newslog: http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/newslog/Framework+For+Exchange+Of+Info+On+Cybersecurity.aspx

The International Telecommunications Union has formally launched a smart grid standards focus group - FG Smart. Its first meeting will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, 14-16 June 2010. The scope of efforts includes:

* Identification of potential impacts on standards development;
* Investigation of future ITU-T study items and related actions;
* Familiarization of ITU-T and standardization communities with emerging attributes of smart grid, and
* Encouragement of collaboration between ITU-T and smart grid communities (hopefully including UTC, EUTC, UTC Canada, and APTEL).

More information is available on the web at http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/focusgroups/smart/.