Public-private partnership key to trusted sourcing

The Information Security Summit 2004, which kicked-off in New Delhi yesterday, could not have come at a more opportune time for India.

Co-hosted by Nasscom and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the conference has set for itself the task of spotlighting what is becoming an increasingly important global issue.

Cyber security""a key fallout of the information age, which has brought with it a dissolution of geographic boundaries and ease of information availability""is taking centerstage and will impact the way global business is conducted. This will be a major issue in Indo-US trade, given the importance of IT in India's exports to the US.

Speakers at the inaugural session focused on the importance of Information Security in the Internet-centric global environment.

While Chairman, Nasscom Jerry Rao applauded the Indian ICT industry for graduating from a cost to quality business paradigm, he also cautioned against indifference towards the next biggest challenge.

"The next barrier, the next biggest challenge is that of Information Security. For Indian companies that are part of a 24*7*365 global supply chain, the issue of Information Security has to become critical," he said.

Clearly, as Indian ICT companies are handling more and more high-end work and dealing with sensitive data from overseas, it is becoming essential to proactively adopt best practices in security and integrate the concept into the normal business workings of every company.

Something akin to what keynote speaker, Kenneth I. Juster, Under Secretary of Commerce, the US Government, described as an Information Security culture, focused around cyber hygiene and cyber ethics!

Mr. Juster felt that cyber security was the key to furthering the trade and technology relationship between the US and India.

"As commerce between the two countries expands, customers want to see their vital data protected and secure. Trade and Information Security must be pursued in tandem and will help in building confidence between both the countries in the area of high-tech commerce," he emphasized.

Harris Miller, President, ITAA and a major champion of ICT trade and global outsourcing, went a step further in stating that the absence of Information Security strategies at both the Government and industry-levels could greatly impact ICT trade between the two nations, particularly outsourcing.

"The reality is that in this world of global IT, where data is being passed around the world, the fear of public disclosure of sensitive information is very high. While the ITAA has been fighting a sustained policy debate on the issue of global sourcing, any increase in the incidence of information security breaches can threaten the very fabric of this business model," Miller warned.

Speaking on behalf of the Indian Government, the country's Minister of Science and Technology, Kapil Sibal stated that India was indeed a "trusted sourcing destination."

Highlighting the fact that India offered a secure and reliable trade environment, defined by strong copyright, IT and cyber laws he added that Indian companies also had robust security practices and adhered to prevailing global standards in this domain.

At the end of the day, the thought leaders felt the US and India needed to work in close partnership on the Cyber Security issue. Governments would have to look at further strengthening national laws and enforcement practices and develop principles to govern cyber crime.

Watch and warning capabilities would further help in identifying areas where Information Security was threatened.

The cornerstone of the Information Security initiative however, had to be based on a strong government-industry partnership. US and Indian Governments would have to work with the industries in their countries to deal with the issue of cyber security.

Public-private partnerships would help create relevant technologies, policies and programs, processes and human resources to combat this malaise.

The opening day of the Information Security Summit set the stage for Day 2 of the conference, which will focus on issues related to implementing Information Security across companies and the growing cooperation between India and the US in this vital realm.