GitHub joins industry commitment to curb cyber mercenaries

Cyberspace has become a battleground with the rise of cyber mercenaries, private sector actors conducting offensive operations on behalf of governments or private entities, which poses a threat to global security by hoarding and selling exploits and surveillance tools. The technology industry is called to unite against these threats, as emphasized by the White House National Cybersecurity Strategy, which advocates shifting cybersecurity responsibilities from individuals and small entities to more capable organizations. GitHub, alongside 40 other companies, endorses the Cybersecurity Tech Accord principles aimed at limiting such offensive operations by countering cyber mercenaries, investing in cybersecurity awareness, maintaining product integrity, and handling legal requests responsibly. GitHub also actively supports secure software development, funds open source security projects, and partakes in legal actions, like joining an amicus brief in NSO v. WhatsApp, to defend against cyber-surveillance companies acting for foreign governments. The company encourages others to join in this collective effort to enhance security, democracy, and human rights in the digital realm, as articulated by Mike Linksvayer, Head of Developer Policy.