Key findings from NASSCOM-DSCI-KPMG Security Survey 2008 to be released at the summit; Over 40 companies participated in the survey which provides a glimpse into the data protection practices followed by the industry.
NASSCOM, the premier trade body and ‘voice’ of the Indian IT-BPO industry in India kicked off its NASSCOM-DSCI Information Security Summit 2008 at Hotel Marriott, Hyderabad today. The inaugural session was addressed by Mr. Som Mittal, President, NASSCOM and Mr. Shyamal Ghosh, Chairman, DSCI.
The two day event has taken a holistic view of the Information Security landscape in India and examined various issues related to it. The focus of the event is to discuss the emergence of India as an important global outsourcing hub, and therefore highlight the need for IT-BPO companies who handle critical, highly confidential data for customers across the globe; to acquire security certifications; comply with Government regulations, laws, standard and business practices. It also focuses on the Information Security (IS) challenges emerging on the horizon and looks at finding ways in which enterprises and service providers can overcome challenges. The objective of the conference is thus to establish India’s thought leadership within the Information Security domain and discuss various measures the country is taking to maintain its position as a trusted sourcing destination.
The Summit is the final leg of the four-pronged Information Security initiative, launched during 2008. It will also provide a platform to bring together all the key stakeholders — practitioners, businesses, the Government, Academia, law enforcement, consumers and citizens—involved in the security, privacy and data protection area, to jointly combat Information Security concerns.
Some of the key focus areas at the event will be:
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One of the key sessions at the summit will see presentation of the key findings of NASSCOM-DSCI-KPMG Survey 2008 - Information Security Best Practices. 42 companies have been surveyed with an objective to assess the criticality of Information Security and Privacy to the Indian IT-BPO organizations. The result of the survey is based on a questionnaire circulated to IT-BPO organizations seeking the response in the areas of - Security Strategy, Security planning and organization, Security in HR function and compliance.
The report will provide insights on
It is the endeavor of DSCI to expose the Industry to the emerging and best practices as followed across the globe thereby helping the industry to gear up for new challenges and to raise the standards of excellence. In keeping with this tradition, DSCI organised a secure programming workshop for the industry on December 1, 2008 at the IIIT Hyderabad campus. The workshop covering Java, C / C++ and Dot Net was aimed at exposing programmers to developing secure and reliable software. More than 40 participants attended the in-depth Application Security Tutorials for over 10 hours which were conducted by Microsoft India and Aujas Networks.
About DSCI
DSCI has been established as an independent self regulatory organization (SRO) by NASSCOM, as an industry initiative to focus on best practices and standards for data protection. While it’s immediate goal is to raise the level of security and privacy of IT and BPO service providers to assure their customers and other stakeholders that India is a secure destination for outsourcing, NASSCOM and DSCI also wish to promote these practices for customers in the country. Since E-Governance applications are increasing, and the IT industry is a joint partner in implementation of these projects, we believe it is right time to focus on security of data so as to build confidence of citizens in E-Governance.
DSCI is focused on promoting data security as an integral part of all outsourcing activities. Service Providers will be encouraged to adopt the best security practices. Data Security and Customer Data Privacy should be of utmost importance in their operations. A minor data breach can lead to high negative publicity leading to loss of brand value not only for the individual company concerned but also has adverse implication for the sector as a whole. Companies are aware that as service providers they handle customer data that is of extreme importance to their clients – it includes sensitive corporate data and personal data of their customers. Hence, there has to be zero tolerance while dealing with the sensitive issues of Data Protection.
DSCI’s Mission is to create trustworthiness of Indian companies as global sourcing service providers, and to send out a message to clients worldwide that India is a secure destination for outsourcing where privacy and protection of customer data are enshrined in the global best practices followed by the industry.
About NASSCOM
NASSCOM (www.nasscom.in) is India's National Association of Software and Service Companies, the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT software and services industry in India. NASSCOM is a global trade body with over 1200 members, of which over 250 are global companies from the US, UK, EU, Japan and China. NASSCOM's member companies are in the business of software development, software services, software products, IT-enabled/BPO services and e-commerce. NASSCOM has been the strongest proponent of global free trade in India.
NASSCOM is committed to work proactively to encourage its members to adopt world class management practices, build and uphold highest quality standards and become globally competitive. In India and around the world, NASSCOM members are participants in the new global economy and are reputed for their cutting-edge business practices and social initiatives.