India Inc gets serious about data safety

With greater necessity to adhere to global standards, ensure data security and improve overall business performance, Indian companies are laying greater stress on information security and viewing it as a critical objective, a survey has found.

Findings of the 10th annual Ernst and Young Global Information Security Survey indicate a number of organisations had integrated information security function into risk management operations.

In India, the number of companies which had done this had doubled from 19 per cent last year to 38 per cent this year. Compliance to global norms was a major driver for 50 per cent of the Indian companies polled, the survey found.

The survey, which interviewed 1,300 senior executives in over 50 countries, had India contributing the second highest number of responses. The 114 respondents from India included SMEs and large companies, Ernst and Young officials said.

A finding of the survey stated 79 per cent of Indian respondents felt improving IT and operational security were emerging as important elements of information security. The global average was 69 per cent.

A problem being faced by most firms globally is the availability of experienced IT and information staff with most using third parties for information security design. 63 per cent of the Indian companies were using third party services; the global usage was higher at 75 per cent.

"Since 2004, the focus of companies in India has shifted from perimeter security like anti-virus to information security and are relying on experienced third parties to cater to this," Devendra Parulekar, Associate Director Technology and Security Risk Services said.