TF-CSIRT Mission

The mission of TF-CSIRT is to facilitate and improve the collaboration between the European CSIRT community to make cyber space a better place.

Why Us?

TF-CSIRT operates with a European mindset, and strives to make it services and meetings inclusive, accessible, easy-to-reach, and affordable for all CSIRTS in Europe – regardless of sector.  Through the Trusted Introducer service, TF-CSIRT can offer well-maintained and up-to-date information and provide teams with recognition status via its differentiated listing, accreditation and certification processes.

Critical Success Factors

The following critical success factors for TF-CSIRT have been identified:

  1. Knowledge within and beyond the community is leveraged to provide high quality training and trainers.
  2. Support for face-to-face and engaging meetings.
  3. A governance and financial models that are fit for purpose.
  4. Provision of a reliable infrastructure that meets community needs.
  5. Projects driven with impact.
  6. Sustainable membership development and engagement.
  7. Fostering of the “we feeling”.
  8. Trusted information is available to the community and there are trusted maturity processes.
  9. TF-CSIRT has prestige and visibility.

Strategic Aims

The TF-CSIRT Steering Committee has set the following strategic aims for 2017 – 2020.

  1. Improve TF-CSIRT governance.
  2. Leverage community knowledge.
  3. Champion the prestige and visibility of TF-CSIRT.
  4. Develop a future business and financial model.
  5. Improve face-to-face engagement.
  6. Improve internal organizational processes.
  7. Safeguard and enhance the trusted infrastructure’s maturity process.

General Background

Computer security incidents require fast and effective responses from the organisations concerned. Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) are therefore responsible for receiving and reviewing incident reports, and responding to them as appropriate. TF-CSIRT is a task force that promotes collaboration and coordination between CSIRTs in Europe and neigbouring regions, whilst liaising with relevant organisations at the global level and in other regions.

Goals of the task force

TF-CSIRT provides a forum where members of the CSIRT community can exchange experiences and knowledge in a trusted environment in order to improve cooperation and coordination. It maintains a system for registering and accrediting CSIRTs, as well as certifying service standards.

The task force also develops and provides services for CSIRTs, promotes the use of common standards and procedures for handling security incidents, and coordinates joint initiatives where appropriate. This includes the training of CSIRT staff, and assisting in the establishment and development of new CSIRTs.

The task force further liaises with FIRST, ENISA, other regional CSIRT organisations, as well as defense and law enforcement agencies.

TF-CSIRT, Trusted Introducer and TRANSITS are all coordinated by the Open CSIRT Foundation