The acronym CLAS stands for the CESG Listed Adviser Scheme - CESG describes this as 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: BS7799
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.
