MICROSOFT -FACEBOOK- MANY-OTHERS

Microsoft, Facebook & 30 other tech firms vow not to aid cyber attacks.

SAN FRANCISCO : Microsoft, Facebook and more than 30 other global technology companies on Tuesday announced a joint pledge not to assist any government in offensive cyber attacks.

The Cybersecurity Tech Accord which vows to protect all customers from attacks regardless of geopolitical or criminal motive, follows a year-

That witnessed an unprecedented level of cyber attacks, including the global WannaCry worm and the devastating NotPetya attack.

''The devastating attacks from the past year demonstrate that cyber security is not just about what any single company can do but also about what we can all do together,'' Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement.

''This tech sector accord will help us take a principled path towards more effective steps to work together and defend customers around the world.''

Smith, who helped lead efforts to organize the accord, was expected to discuss the alliance in a speech on Tuesday at the RSA cyber security conference in San Francisco.

The accord also promised to establish new formal and informal partnerships within the industry and with security researchers to share threats and and coordinate vulnerability disclosures.{Reuters}.

The Publishing continues.