Code of Practice for Software Vendors: call for views

The UK government is seeking industry feedback on a draft Code of Practice for Software Vendors aimed at enhancing the resilience and security of software. This initiative is part of the £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy, which focuses on improving cyber resilience across the UK economy and strengthening digital supply chains. The draft code outlines essential security measures expected from organizations that develop or sell software used by businesses. It aims to address common software development and distribution mistakes and improve information sharing between software vendors and their customers, thereby reducing the risk and impact of software supply chain attacks.

The call for views is open until 11:59 PM on 9 August 2024, and the government encourages stakeholders to provide input on the proposed design and implementation of the code. This effort follows extensive stakeholder engagement to develop a comprehensive package of policy interventions. Additionally, there is a related call for views on AI cyber security, which aligns with the software vendors' code. Interested parties can respond online or via email to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The government emphasizes the importance of this feedback in shaping effective practices for software security in the UK.