Fortune 500 companies push for greater Web 2.0 security

Fortune 500 companies are backing an attempt to improve information security in a web-enabled world through the formation of the Secure Enterprise 2.0 Forum.

The initiative will raise awareness, define industry standards and best practices, and facilitate interoperability for secure use of Web 2.0 technologies in the enterprise, say the founders, which include chief information officers at Credit Suisse, Reuters, Standard Chartered Bank, and Dresdner Bank.

Yuval Tarsi, chief technology officer and co-founder of WorkLight, which initiated the forum, said as the workforce becomes younger and more tech-savvy, companies were embracing new technologies such as RSS, personalised homepages, social networks, instant messaging, blogs and wikis.

Market analysts who attended the inaugural meeting in London on Wednesday said security is becoming the major issue with the "consumerisation of technology" in the workplace.

"The intention of the forum is to work together to improve the management of threats to corporate assets via Web 2.0 technologies and services, both current and future," said Stephen Bonner, head of information risk management at Barclays.