U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Engage Public-Private Partnerships at Upcoming Cyber Security Summit

Entrust CEO Bill Conner Appointed as Co-Chair of Corporate Governance Task Force

11 Nov 2003

DALLAS - Entrust, Inc. [NASDAQ: ENTU], a global leader in securing digital identities and information, today announced that CEO Bill Conner has been appointed as co-chair of the Corporate Governance Task Force that will convene at the upcoming National Cyber Security Summit, a public-private initiative jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and members of the high-tech industry. The Summit, hosted by Department of Homeland Security National Cyber Security Division Director Amit Yoran, will be held December 3, 2003 in Silicon Valley, California.

The Summit will initiate both planning and action, bringing together representatives from across the critical infrastructures, government and academia, to collaboratively craft tangible solutions for major security challenges identified in the White House National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace released earlier this year. 

The Corporate Governance Task Force has been assembled to drive the specific development, implementation and metrics needed to meet the objectives of the overall National Strategy.  At the Summit, the Task Force is charged with providing four key deliverables:

1. A task force mission statement
2. An overview of the key strategies and associated implementation activities that will drive execution of the task force's mission
3. An overview of the expected deliverables for the task force for each of the key activities
4. A high level implementation plan

"Information security governance is one of the most significant issues facing business executives, policymakers and governments worldwide," said Bill Conner, chief executive of Entrust.  "As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve around IT security, so does the complexity of compliance.  These are not simply technical issues that can be handed off to CIOs, but corporate governance responsibilities that require the attention of CEOs and boards of directors."

"When it comes to cyber security, much of the technology is already available, but effective management practices and policies are lacking.  The Corporate Governance Task Force will serve as a good vehicle to further develop the corporate governance programs necessary to secure our businesses. I look forward to bringing Entrust's expertise to the table to address this management imperative," continued Conner.

An industry leader on IT security and governance issues, Conner also co-chairs the Business Software Alliance (BSA) Information Security Governance (ISG) Task Force.  Earlier this month at a CEO Forum in Washington, DC, Conner met with members of the President's Cabinet and Congressional leaders to deliver a management framework and BSA white paper, "Information Security Governance: Toward a Framework for Action."

Additionally, Conner is set to lead a worldwide discussion of cyber security governance issues before industry counterparts and senior international officials in Europe at the EastWest Institute's Worldwide Security Forum scheduled for November 17 in Brussels, Belgium.