Several technology industry organisations are joining together to set up a not-for-profit group to promote security best practice.

The Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode) has been set up by EMC Corporation, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, SAP and Symantec and is actively recruiting other members. It will exchange data on security threats and try to formulate new ways to build secure code.

SAFEcode is to be headed by Paul Kurtz, who has been on the United States White House''s National Security and Homeland Security Councils under Presidents Clinton and Bush and was the founding executive director of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA).

"Software assurance is a critical element of IT ecosystem security," said Paul Kurtz, executive director of SAFECode.

"By building on the positive work already done in this area by individual firms and encouraging broader adoption of proven best practices for the development and delivery of more secure technology products and services, SAFECode has a unique opportunity to significantly impact the overall security and reliability of the cyber infrastructure."

"With the support of its founding members, SAFECode will work to meet the growing demand for information and dialogue on software assurance and increase the trust in IT and communications products and services."

All information put into the forum can be shared equally between all the members. The group will also lobby government on the issue of software quality.

"The software industry – like the automotive, food or pharmaceutical industry – needs clear standards for security and reliability," said Professor Dr Sachar Paulus, senior vice president of product security at SAP.

"At SAP we consider it our social responsibility to participate in such an initiative to share and extend the already existing activities of our company."