Indian outsourcing and services company Infosys has teamed up with Queen's University Belfast to conduct joint research into the global cyber security threat.
The partnership brings together Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), a cyber security research lab, Invest Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland government's regional business development agency - and Infosys.
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The three-year agreement will see the parties attempt to establish a research, education and commercialisation model to develop solutions and intellectual property for combating cyber security threats.
Infosys and CSIT will focus on the threats emanating from cloud infrastructures and mobile devices - such as Android and iOS smartphones and tablets - as well as working on privacy issues for financial markets.
The partners said that they would undertake research projects together, sponsor PhD scholarships and promote internships, faculty sabbaticals and exchange programmes.
They will also train staff on what they call "advanced concepts" in data privacy, web apps, wireless security and intelligent surveillance systems, while seeking funding from agencies in India and Europe for relevant projects.
Vice chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, professor Sir Peter Gregson, welcomed the partnership and said it was important because cyber security affects everyone.
"Be it via smartphones and their apps, online banking or through developments in cloud-based services, we are all at risk of cyber security attacks," he said.
He added: "Queen's agreement sees Infosys join with over 20 other industrial partners, including many global players that have committed to supporting CSIT in its quest to solve some of the real-world security challenges of the future. It is intended that through this partnership society will be the real winner."
Senior vice president of Infosys Labs, Subu Goparaju, believes that the rise of cloud and mobile devices has increased the need for greater cyber security.
"Our partnership with Queen's University will provide Infosys with insights into cyber-crimes and access to the important work being done at CSIT. We believe the outcome of this partnership will not only result in stronger products for our clients, but in a safer digital world," he said.
Last month, Goparaju told Computing that businesses can reduce their productivity by implementing too much security.
"People are taking cyber security very seriously - maybe a bit too seriously, to the level of maybe paralysing things," he said.
"Most organisations put in security that does not allow anybody [within the enterprise] to fully function, so while there needs to be the right kind of response, it shouldn't be to the level of paralysing the organisation," he added.
The CIST is one of six innovation and knowledge centres (IKC) in the UK. Total funding in the region of £30m has been secured for the centre over five years and, along with Infosys, CIST 'full members' include IBM, McAfee, Cisco, BAE Systems, Thales, Q1 Labs and Altera.
