BT has announced it'll be sharing the data it holds on malware attacks and other security threats with other ISPs in an attempt to prevent the spread of cybercrime.
The information will be shared on a secure online platform, which will also allow other ISPs to post the information they hold around threats too. BT has urged its rivals to contribute in order to benefit every internet user in the UK.
BT's move is in direct response to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) suggestion that ISPs share detection events, which they can then block from their customers.
"This is an important step in helping the Government achieve its aim of making the UK the safest place to live and do business online," said Mark Hughes, CEO of BT Security. "We believe that only by working together with Government and the rest of the telecommunications industry can we collectively succeed in stemming the tide of cyber-crime. That's why we're urging other ISPs to join us in sharing threat information in a more open and collaborative way."
To date, BT has identified and shared information about more than 200,000 dangerous domains since the initiative launched at the end of last year. It's an active effort by BT's 2,500 cyber security experts, whose role is also to prevent malicious emails arriving in victims' inboxes. The company said it's so far stopped 50 million emails being delivered, harbouring 2,000 unique attachments, every month.
"We've been taking a more proactive and automated approach to blocking malicious code and harmful website content on our infrastructure for some time, in line with the NCSC's Active Cyber Defence strategy," Hughes added.
"This allows us to mitigate a high volume of cyber threats before they have a chance to take hold and impact our customers. By sharing our malware data, we're empowering other ISPs to provide their customers with the same level of protection, should they choose to take action."
