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Reasons Kaspersky Lab Is Opening Three Transparency Centers Worldwide

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By peter oluka

Kaspersky Lab has announced the launch of its Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) as part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from cyberthreats, regardless of their origin or purpose.

With this Initiative, Kaspersky Lab will engage the broader information security community and other stakeholders in validating and verifying the trustworthiness of its products, internal processes, and business operations, as well as introducing additional accountability mechanisms by which the company can further demonstrate that it addresses any security issues promptly and thoroughly.

As part of the Initiative, the company intends to provide the source code of its software – including software updates and threat-detection rules updates – for independent review and assessment.

As society today depends ever more on information and communications technologies (ICT), cyberthreats continue to proliferate and evolve. Because of the frenetic pace of both ICT deployment and the expansion of the threat landscape, Kaspersky Lab believes that increased cooperation to protect cyberspace is more crucial than ever.

Trust is essential in cybersecurity, and therefore trust should be the foundation of any collaboration among those seeking to secure individuals, organisations and enterprises from cyberthreats.

However, Kaspersky Lab also recognises that trust is not a given; it must be repeatedly earned through an ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability.

Kaspersky Lab’s Global Transparency Initiative is a reaffirmation of the company’s commitment to earning and maintaining the trust of the company’s customers and partners every day. The company has never taken this trust for granted, but it wants to strive for continuous improvement in every way it can.

The initial phase of Kaspersky Lab’s Global Transparency Initiative will include:

The start of an independent review of the company’s source code by Q1 2018, with similar reviews of the company’s software updates and threat detection rules to follow;

The commencement of an independent assessment of (i) the company’s secure development lifecycle processes, and (ii) its software and supply chain risk mitigation strategies by Q1 2018;

The development of additional controls to govern the company’s data processing practices in coordination with an independent party that can attest to the company’s compliance with said controls by Q1 2018;

The formation of three Transparency Centers globally, with plans to establish the first one in 2018, to address any security issues together with customers, trusted partners and government stakeholders; the centers will serve as a facility for trusted partners to access reviews on the company’s code, software updates, and threat detection rules, along with other activities. The Transparency Centers will open in Asia, Europe and the U.S. by 2020.

The increase of bug bounty awards up to $100,000 for the most severe vulnerabilities found under the company’s Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure program to further incentivise independent security researchers to supplement our vulnerability detection and mitigation efforts, by the end of 2017.

In addition to launching this initial phase of its Global Transparency Initiative, Kaspersky Lab looks forward to engaging with its stakeholders and the information security community to determine what the next phase of the initiative – commencing in H2 2018 – should include.

Speaking of the need for this new initiative, Eugene Kaspersky, chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Lab, said: “Internet balkanisation benefits no one except cybercriminals. Reduced cooperation among countries helps the bad guys in their operations, and public-private partnerships don’t work like they should. The internet was created to unite people and share knowledge. Cybersecurity has no borders, but attempts to introduce national boundaries in cyberspace is counterproductive and must be stopped.

“We need to reestablish trust in relationships between companies, governments and citizens. That’s why we’re launching this Global Transparency Initiative: we want to show how we’re completely open and transparent. We’ve nothing to hide. And I believe that with these actions we’ll be able to overcome mistrust and support our commitment to protecting people in any country on our planet.”

Kaspersky Lab will share details of the Initiative’s progress and additional activities regularly.

By collaborating with its various stakeholders, Kaspersky Lab hopes that its customers and partners will join it on this journey.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

E-Business

GSMA Launches Innovation Fund to Boost AI Solutions in Emerging Markets

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GSMA Innovation Fund for Impactful AI has been unveiled, marking a significant initiative aimed at empowering small and growing enterprises in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) across Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

GSMA Launches Innovation Fund to Boost AI Solutions in Emerging Markets

This fund is designed to fos­ter AI-driven innovations that tackle critical socio-economic and climate challenges, helping underserved regions unlock the transformative potential of ar­tificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence has proven its ability to address pressing global issues, from pre­cision agriculture and renew­able energy to remote health­care and financial inclusion.

Yet, LMICs remain under­served in funding and resourc­es, with only a small percentage of global grants directed toward locally-developed AI solutions.

Despite the growth of AI-driven technologies, these advancements are often not tailored to the unique needs of local populations in LMICs.

The GSMA Innovation Fund seeks to close this gap by iden­tifying, testing, and scaling impactful AI solutions that are contextually relevant and capa­ble of delivering measurable socio-economic and climate benefits.

In partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), the GSMA Innovation Fund provides a comprehensive sup­port package to selected enter­prises. Key benefits include:

Grant Funding: Ranging from £100,000 to £250,000 for projects lasting 15–18 months.

Tailored Venture Support: Guidance to strengthen busi­ness models and improve scal­ability.

Partnership Opportunities: Facilitation of collaborations with mobile operators, public sector organizations, and other stakeholders.

Peer Learning: Platforms for exchanging knowledge and best practices with other innovators.

Visibility and Exposure: Access to GSMA’s global events, publications, and online plat­forms to connect with potential investors and partners.

 


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E-Business

MRA Calls for Safer Internet User Rights in Nigeria

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Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the Nigerian government to take legitimate measures to safeguard the rights and safety of internet users in the country.

MRA Calls for Safer Internet User Rights in Nigeria

In a statement released ahead of Safer Internet Day (SID), the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) called on the Nigerian Federal and State governments to take measures to protect internet users’ rights.

MRA highlighted the misuse of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, initially designed to address cybercrime threats.

According to MRA, the Act has been exploited by powerful individuals to intimidate journalists, activists, and citizens, undermining freedom of expression and cybersecurity.

Mr. Ayode Longe, deputy executive director, MRA, emphasised that these actions violate democratic principles and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations. He highlighted the SID theme “Together for a Better Internet” as a call for multi-stakeholder cooperation to create a safe and accessible online environment.

Longe noted Nigeria’s progress in digital technology adoption but pointed out persistent online threats, including scams, data breaches, and misinformation.

He stressed the need for legal frameworks that protect users’ rights without compromising their privacy or freedom of expression.

MRA urged the government to review the Cybercrimes Act to ensure it aligns with international human rights standards and to establish guidelines to prevent arbitrary prosecutions.

MRA also called for digital literacy initiatives and collaboration with tech companies to promote online safety.

Additionally, they urged the courts to protect Nigerians’ rights by rejecting unfounded cybercrime cases and ensuring fair application of the law.

Longe reiterated MRA’s commitment to defending digital rights and advocating for a free and open digital environment where everyone can access information and express themselves responsibly.

Together, stakeholders can create an internet where all users, regardless of age or background, can engage safely and freely.


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E-Business

Google Messages to Enable WhatsApp Video Calls

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Google Messages is reportedly working on a new feature that would allow WhatsApp video calls; the feature was found in the app’s code and is not yet functional, but it reportedly activates when the caller’s device is not running Google Meet.

Google Messages to Enable WhatsApp Video Calls

Users of the tech giant’s first-party app in Mountain View are reportedly able to make video calls more easily because of this functionality.

According to a separate report, the app recently combined the gallery picker with the camera viewfinder when the camera option was opened.

A report from the Android Authority suggests that Google Messages may soon incorporate WhatsApp’s video calling functionality. The functionality was discovered by the publication in Google Messages version 20250131.

The code had a flag for the feature, which was turned on. As a result, consumers cannot try it out at this time.

According to screenshots the website posted, when users select the video call icon in Google Messages, a prompt advising them to use WhatsApp to make video calls appears.

But following the reports, the feature only appears if the caller does not have Google Meet installed.

Interestingly, at the moment, users can only use Meet to make video calls; if they don’t have it loaded, the app asks them to do so before attempting again.

With this new functionality, WhatsApp does not direct users to the chat app when they make a video call.

Rather, it is said to activate the full-screen video conference interface immediately.

If Google Messenger is the user’s main messaging program, this functionality could save them multiple clicks.

Though based on the article, the capability is limited to individual talks.

The app can only use Meet to start video calls in group discussions.

Furthermore, it has been noted that Google Messages does not trigger the WhatsApp video call pop-up if the recipient does not have WhatsApp installed.

 

 

 


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