FIRST announces Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) version 1.0

The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) has announced the release of version 1.0 of its consolidated Traffic Light Protocol (TLP).

31 August 2016 - The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) has announced the release of version 1.0 of its consolidated Traffic Light Protocol (TLP).

TLP, originally developed to encourage information sharing with and among public and private sector security professionals in the United Kingdom, has achieved widespread adoption around the globe.

The FIRST TLP addresses some criticisms that users had with prior version, and ensures international sharing can happen without mismatched expectations. It is currently used by various types of CSIRTs, operational trust communities, information sharing analysis organizations, government agencies, and private researchers, and has achieved "de facto" international standard status.

The FIRST community, in consultation with other security information sharing communities, has established a Standards Special Interest Group (SIG) for TLP. The TLP SIG has drafted a common standardized set of definitions for all TLP colors, along with clear usage guidance explaining how, when and where it should be used.

TLP SIG chairs Tom Millar (US-CERT) and Don Stikvoort (TF-CSIRT) are leading the initiative. Stikvoort said: FIRST has endorsed the TLP in recognition of the growing number of incident response professionals that know, support and use it as a worldwide standard. The impact that it will have around defining confidentiality in information sharing ensures that it will ultimately prove invaluable to our industry.

Margrete Raaum, Chair of FIRST, said: One of the core goals of FIRST is to develop and publish standards and guidance that help incident response and security teams be more effective. TLP is a standard in our community, and we’re excited that the Special Interest Group has brought together a wide variety of organization to help charts its course for the future. This release culminates a lot of work inside our community on making information exchange easier and more effective.

 

TLP version 1.0 has now been published as FIRST standard, and can be found at https://www.first.org/tlp.

Please direct all comments or questions on the Traffic Light Protocol to first-sec@first.org.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Harry Saunders or Janine Maxwell
Four Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 3697 4329 or +44 (0)20 3697 4351
Email: harry.saunders@fourcommunications.com or janine.maxwell@fourcommunications.com


Please download the full release at first-press-release-20160831.pdf.


About FIRST

Founded in 1990, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) is made up of internet security teams from more than 350 corporations, government bodies, universities and other institutions across 76 countries. Its goal is to promote cooperation and information-sharing among computer security incident response teams through events, training and education, and working groups. For more information, visit: https://www.first.org.