The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), for the development of a new trust framework, with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
ICAO secretary general, Dr Fang Liu, signed an agreement with ICANN, which will see the two agencies explore specifics for the framework, aimed at securing digital communications in the aviation sector.
The secretary general said: “Identity management is critical to the safety and security of air operations when it comes to digital communications in the 21st century and ICAO is eager to explore the potential of how our agency can serve as a digital identity trust-broker for global air transport.”
The new ICAO-ICANN MoU, focused on promoting cooperation in the area of internet technology development within aviation systems, is essential in helping submit a proposal for official review and endorsement of the ICAO council later this month.
Dr Liu said: “Our preliminary analysis has illustrated that this type of single-source identity framework could generate significant cost savings and security benefits for operators, manufacturers, suppliers, essentially anyone wishing to exchange information in a globally and digitally connected aviation.”
ICAO has been canvassing all these stakeholders in recent weeks to gain their insights and perspectives on the benefits the new aviation trust framework.
Photo: ICAO secretary general Dr Liu (centre) shakes hands with Göran Marby, chief executive officer and president of ICANN. Also present David Conrad, ICANN chief technology officer (far right), Stephen Creamer, ICAO air navigation bureau director (2nd from left), and Saulo Da Silva, ICAO’s chief of global interoperable systems (far left), during the ICAO/ICANN MoU signing ceremony last week at ICAO headquarters.