What is CLAS?

CLAS is the CESG Listed Adviser Scheme - a partnership linking the unique Information Assurance knowledge of CESG with the expertise and resources of the private sector.

CESG recognises that there is an increasing demand for authoritative Infosec Information Assurance advice and guidance. This demand has come as a result of an increasing awareness of the threats and vulnerabilities that information systems are likely to face in an ever-changing world. In addition specific demand will come from:

• departments seeking to bring their networks into line with the Government Secure Intranet (GSI) requirements
• departments addressing emerging security requirements associated with the e-Government (Information Age Government) initiative
• the need to safeguard the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
• the Cabinet Office requirement for departments to implement the British Standard for Information Security Management: ISO 27001 (formerly BS 7799)
• making 'government standard' Information Assurance advice more readily available to the broader public sector (local government, the Health sector, Police Forces etc).
  

The Scheme aims to satisfy this demand by creating a pool of high quality consultants approved by CESG to provide Information Assurance advice to government departments and other organisations who provide vital services for the United Kingdom.
CLAS consultants are approved to provide Information Assurance advice on systems processing protectively marked information up to, and including, SECRET. Potential customers of the CLAS Scheme should also note that if the information is not protectively marked then they do not need to specify membership of CLAS in their invitations to tender, and may be challenged if equally competent non-scheme members are prevented from bidding.
(c) Crown 2003 www.cesg.gov.uk

back