Abstract: Effective response to emergency, security and operational continuity events generally requires cooperation across political, physical and technical boundaries. It's necessary, therefore, to use a communications system that enables people in heterogeneous organization to communicate effectively. Since 2002, Swan Island Networks has been developing an Internet-based information sharing system that links responsible people with the information necessary to make better decisions, and to each other. The system allows people to form “Communities of Trust”, in which all community members are known and authenticated. Each community is formed by a responsible Champion, who determines who can participate and what information will be shared within the community. In order for people to be willing to share, and to accept the information they receive as genuine, the community must operate in an environment of trust. This presentation outlines the fundamental concepts, methodologies and features for access and information control that create a trusted environment, particularly Authorization, Authentication and Audit (AAA). In the system discussed, AAA elements function together to create a comprehensive trust framework, and provide a contextually appropriate level of information assurance, data protection and dissemination control.