Kaspersky expands Global Transparency Initiative launching Istanbul Transparency Center

The opening of the Transparency Center took place in Istanbul on April 29^th, 2024, with the participation of Kaspersky Founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky. This Center will serve as a facility for the company’s partners, and customers, as well as regulators in the field of cybersecurity, to review the source code of all Kaspersky on-premise products, software updates and threat detection rules. Additionally, visitors can examine the results of independent audits of the company’s solutions, and access the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), a list of software components utilized in Kaspersky solutions.

Kaspersky remains a dedicated advocate for transparency in the global cybersecurity industry, and educational projects with distinguished academic institutions are an important part of upholding this standard. The event announcing the Istanbul Transparency Center was held at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kaspersky and Boğaziçi University. Signed by Kaspersky CEO Eugene Kaspersky and Boğaziçi University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci, the MoU aims to establish a framework for mutual technological cooperation, in future academic programs.

As a key component of the MoU, Kaspersky and Boğaziçi University will launch a Transparency Lab that will focus on educating students on methodologies and techniques for evaluating the quality and reliability of solutions within the supply chain in line with the company’s Cyber Capacity Building Program, which is one of the GTI’s pillars. The work of the Lab will also prioritize the development of proficiency in recognizing and navigating the landscape of cyber threats. The Transparency Lab will provide practical educational seminars, offered in both onsite and in online format by Kaspersky.

During the event Kaspersky’s Founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky noted:
“Our professional and business ties with Turkey became stronger today. As the next step in developing our long-standing cooperation, we open a Transparency Center in Istanbul and seal our partnership with the city’s Boğaziçi University, with both endeavors seeking to further boost the cyber resilience of the country. As Turkey pursues its digitalization and serves as a driving force for this trend in the entire META region, we’re honored to enhance our expertise and knowledge-sharing with local organizations to ensure that their digital journey is as smooth as possible.”

Boğaziçi University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci emphasized that national and international collaborations have increased recently, especially with the projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, data science and cyber security. Rector stated that the Transparency Laboratory will contribute to students who want to advance in this field:
"This agreement, which emphasizes the importance of giving priority to companies that invest in our country and encourage technology transfer, instead of seeing our country only as a technology market, is a major initiative within the framework of our national technology initiative. It has value. Global cyber security companies often perceive our country only as a market for their own products and do not consider investing in the development of Turkey. However, the goodwill agreement with Kaspersky sets a leading example by demonstrating the determination to invest in our country. With this collaboration, our university's Technology Transfer Office and Kaspersky will establish a joint laboratory that will provide our young talents with the opportunity to conduct research in the field of cyber security. This initiative will both increase their competence in the field and contribute to the emergence of new cyber security initiatives. The choice of our university for this collaboration is a proof of our leadership position in the field of cyber security. Since 2021, when I took office as Rector, we have made significant progress in recruiting valuable scientists who have received their doctorates from world-famous universities, especially in technological fields. We also further strengthened our commitment to technological advancement by establishing the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Institute. In addition, we have continuously trained young talents in the field of cyber security through initiatives such as cyber security camps. We aim to be a game changer, not a follower of the game, by continuing our increasing success in the academic world with our vision of industry-university cooperation."

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, Kaspersky remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard digital ecosystems and empower individuals and organizations to navigate the digital world securely.

The Transparency Center in Istanbul is the 12th Center in the chain as a part of the Kaspersky GTI. You can learn more about Transparency Centers and their locations by visiting the website.

About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection, specialized security products and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.