Working group

Collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders are critical to secure the cloud platform. The current gap is that there is no defined guideline dividing the security roles and responsibilities between the Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and Cloud customers; on how to secure Cloud services in different Cloud deployment models. This is especially the case for those who have little cloud security knowledge. This WG aims to develop guidelines for CSPs to secure its Cloud platform and provide Cloud security services to Cloud users; for Cloud users to select security qualified CSPs; for security vendors to develop their Cloud-based security products and services. Subsequently, this WG hopes to develop a platform for CSPs to publish their security requirements; for security vendors to share their security products and services, and to provide a platform for interoperability testing.

As businesses are developing rapidly, and IT infrastructures are constantly diversified, a single public / private cloud or a traditional on-premises datacenter is no longer able to meet service requirements in terms of costs, performance, scalability, security, and compatibility. Users are increasingly choosing hybrid clouds to meet their needs. Hybrid clouds take advantage of various clouds and traditional IT infrastructures and work systematically to benefit the users based on their service requirements.However, hybrid clouds pose new security risks, bringing a few challenges on security protection. This initiative aims to develop a security white paper specifying hybrid cloud security risks and countermeasures, helping users identify and reduce risk. This initiative proposes to provide suggestions on hybrid cloud governance, hybrid cloud threat profiles, and hybrid cloud security evaluation, guiding both users and cloud service providers to choose and provide secure hybrid cloud solutions, and promoting security planning and implementation.

‘Vanilla’ cloud environments were typically not made to handle harsh environments like that of High Performance Computing (HPC) Cloud Security. Technical concerns for HPC are further complicated by the complex and ever-evolving threat landscape. As we increasingly see cases of pure HPC bare metal infrastructure interacting with the cloud such as I/O interfaces and processes, it brings along more ‘opportunities’ for malicious attacks. While this should be considered and integrated into security policies and guidelines, performance face the perilof being compromised as precious resources are carved out for security protocols and processes. The crossing of cloud and HPC environments often leads us to questions of how security in an HPC cloud environment can be implemented, enforced and ensured without the need to compromise performance. This Working Group strives to provide recommendations that can answer these questions.

The CSA Quantum Safe Security Working Group's goal is to address key generation and transmission methods that will aid the industry in understanding quantum-safe methods for protecting their data through quantum key distribution (QKD) -- a physics‐based technology to securely deliver keys-- and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) -- mathematical algorithms that are resistant to quantum computing. The goal of the working group is to support the quantum‐safe cryptography community in development and deployment of a framework to protect data whether in movement or at rest.

The shift from traditional client/server to service-based models is transforming the way technology departments think about, designing, and delivering computing technology and applications. However, the improved value offered by cloud computing advances have also created new security vulnerabilities, including security issues whose full impacts are still emerging.The CSA Top Threats Working Group aims to provide organizations with an up-to-date, expert-informed understanding of cloud security risks, threats and vulnerabilities in order to make educated risk-management decisions regarding cloud adoption strategies.

Quantum information technology (QIT) is a class of emerging technology that improves information processing capability by harnessing principles of quantum mechanics. It has promoted the booming of the second quantum revolution and will have a profound impact on ICT networks.

The ITU-T Focus Group on Quantum Information Technology for Networks (FG-QIT4N) was established in September 2019 to provide a collaborative platform for pre-standardisation aspects of QIT for networks. Its main objectives are:

• to study the evolution and applications of QIT for networks;
• to focus on terminology and ​use cases for QIT for networks;
• to provide necessary technical background information and collaborative conditions to effectively support QIN-related standardization work in ITU-T Study Groups;
• to provide an open cooperation platform with ITU-T Study Groups and other SDOs.​​

ITU-T Focus Group on "Environmental Efficiency for Artificial Intelligence and other Emerging Technologies" (FG-AI4EE) was established by ITU-T Study Group 5 at its meeting in Geneva on 22 May 2019.

FG-AI4EE will identify the standardization needs to develop a sustainable approach to AI and other emerging technologies including automation, augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, smart manufacturing, industry 5.0, cloud/edge computing, nanotechnology, 5G, among others. The focus group will develop technical reports and technical specifications to address the environmental efficiency, as well as water and energy consumption of emerging technologies, and provide guidance to stakeholders on how to operate these technologies in a more environmentally efficient manner to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the primary body for developing technology specifications for cellular networks. It self-organises through its Working Groups coordinated by the Chairs of the Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs). 

TSG SA (Service and System Aspects) has 6 active WGs.

The scope of SA1 - Services is on feature requirements applicable to mobile and fixed communications technology from 2G.

Outputs of this WG are Technical Specifications and Reports or changes to them. These are all submitted to TSG SA Approval. Once approved, they form the basis for work for the whole of 3GPP and industry segments interested in deploying networks based on IMS.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the primary body for developing technology specifications for cellular networks. It self-organises through its Working Groups coordinated by the Chairs of the Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs).

SA WG3 is responsible for security and privacy in 3GPP systems, determining the security and privacy requirements, and specifying the security architectures and protocols.

The WG also ensures the availability of cryptographic algorithms which need to be part of the specifications.

The sub-WG SA3-LI provides the requirements and specifications for lawful interception in 3GPP systems.

A new 3GPP Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) is now available: SA3 and the 3GPP Mobile Competence Centre (MCC) have implemented a process to allow suspected or proven vulnerability caused by errors, omissions or ambiguities in our Technical Specifications to be reported and quickly forwarded to the appropriate 3GPP Group, to analyse and resolve the problem.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the primary body for developing technology specifications for cellular networks. It self-organises through its Working Groups coordinated by the Chairs of the Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs).

3GPP TSG SA WG4 Codec deals with the specifications for speech, audio, video, and multimedia codecs, in both circuit-switched and packet-switched environments. Other topics within the mandate of SA WG4 are: quality evaluation, end-to-end performance, and interoperability aspects with existing mobile and fixed networks (from codec point of view).

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the primary body for developing technology specifications for cellular networks. It self-organises through its Working Groups coordinated by the Chairs of the Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs).

3GPP TSG SA WG5 - Telecom Management has the role of specifying the requirements, architecture and solutions for provisioning and management of the network (RAN, CN, IMS) and its services. The WG defines charging solutions in alignment with the related charging requirements developed by the relevant WGs, and specifies the architecture and protocols for charging of the network and its services.

The WG ensures its work is also applicable to the management and charging of converged networks, and potentially applicable to fixed networks.

To achieve the specification work pertinent to the provisioning, charging and management of the network and its services, this WG coordinates with other 3GPP WGs and all relevant SDOs.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the primary body for developing technology specifications for cellular networks. It self-organises through its Working Groups coordinated by the Chairs of the Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs).

3GPP TSG SA WG6 - Mission-critical applications is in charge of:

• Defining, evolving and maintaining Stage 2 technical specification(s) for application layer functional elements and interfaces supporting critical communications and other applications (at the application layer), based on Stage 1 service requirements from SA1.
• The application layer aspects in 1), with emphasis on the following.
• Work with relevant groups from other SDOs to make use of expertise available to support the development of specifications under the responsibility of SA6.