IT security professionals have voiced concern over proposals to use legislation designed for wheel clampers and bodyguards to regulate security consultants.
The Security Industry Association (SIA), a quango that regulates workers in physical security industries, said Home Office ministers were considering whether IT security should be governed by legislation.
Research is under way to help them decide whether IT security consultants will need licences to practice. "The exercise is to scope the security industry and see how wide the legislation is to be," said an SIA spokesman.
If IT security professionals are classed as security consultants they will have to undergo identity and criminal record checks, and reach minimum qualifications.
But independent security consultant Chris Sundt said government regulation could harm, rather than help, the profession.
"There is a risk the SIA will come up with a licensing regime that creates more problems than it solves. If the criteria are weak, people will have a label saying they are qualified security professionals. It will give a false sense of security," he said.
