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OAS and OWASP Sign Agreement on Cyber Security

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) to facilitate a closer level of collaboration on the issue of cyber security and allow each partner to reach a broader audience.

The agreement signed will allow OWASP, a global non-profit organization focused on informing and educating users on the security risks and solutions associated with computer programming, to participate in more OAS events, while the two organizations explore future opportunities for organizing joint events and/or issuing joint publications on topics related to cyber security and security programming. In the past, representatives of OWASP chapters from Costa Rica, Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina have participated as experts and expert facilitators in both national and regional OAS events.

The OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Ambassador Adam Blackwell, said “We are proud to formalize our partnership with OWASP, which to date, has been quite productive and beneficial for our member states. As we continue to cultivate our partnership with OWASP, we expect that this agreement will facilitate an increased level of cooperation and bring ever more qualified experts and facilitators to training sessions and workshops designed for officials from OAS member states.”

Ambassador Blackwell said the new partnership is “yet another simple example of how a public Organization such as the OAS can create bridges of collaboration with civil society actors.” Secretary Blackwell went on to encourage member states to reach out and engage further with both the private sector and civil society, particularly in relation to efforts aimed at developing sustainable national cyber security strategies and achieving the protection of critical cyber infrastructure.

For his part, Fabio Cerullo, on behalf of the OWASP board said, "We are thrilled to announce this strategic alliance with the OAS that will allow mutual collaboration in cyber security activities and help raise awareness about application security across the Latin American region."

The OAS, through its Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, aims to establish national "alert, watch, and warning" groups, also known as Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), in each country; create a hemispheric watch and warning network made up of these CSIRTs that provide guidance and support to cyber security technicians from around the Americas; cultivate and support the development of National Cyber Security Strategies; and promote a culture and awareness of cyber security in the private and public sector that contributes to the strengthening of Cyber Security in the Americas.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-328/14