The Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode), a non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to increasing trust in information and communications technology products and services through the advancement of effective security assurance methods, today announced Intel Corporation as its newest member.

With membership, Intel joins a group of committed contributors and software industry leaders including Adobe Systems Incorporated, EMC Corporation, Juniper Networks, Inc., Microsoft Corp., Nokia, SAP AG, Siemens and Symantec Corp.

SAFECode is the first global, industry-led effort to identify and promote best practices for developing and delivering more secure and reliable software, hardware and services.

In the first five years, the Forum has worked to aggressively advance an agenda that has measurably improved software security practices worldwide. Most recently, the Forum launched its Software Security Guidance for Agile Practitioners.

"The rapid advancement of threats has driven security requirements across – and more deeply within – systems than ever before," said Stacy Simpson, policy and communications director, SAFECode. "Intel's innovations and strength in embedding security at the foundation of computing devices brings another level of expertise and perspective to our efforts."

Jeffrey H. Cohen, Head of Product Security Assurance for Intel, will join SAFECode's Board of Directors and play an active role in the leadership of the association. As a new member, Intel will contribute to SAFECode's ongoing efforts to identify, share and promote security assurance best practices based on the lessons learned from real-world implementations – and will take an active role in current SAFECode projects that address secure development methods and training.