ASSOCHAM demands BPO-centric response team to minimise cyber attacks

Amid an increasing number of cyber attacks in the recent past, the ASSOCHAM suggested the constitution of a computer emergency response team (CERT) to cater specifically to the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

The chamber noted that although the government and BPO industry are taking a variety of initiatives in the cyber security domain, there lies a need to constitute a separate organisation to minimise cyber attacks in the BPO landscape.

Furthermore, the ASSOCHAM said the government should mandate BPO sector-specific policies and procedures to address the security requirements. It can engage industry bodies, academia and law enforcement agencies to develop and define standards, mechanisms, and guidelines which are in sync with requirements of the BPO sector, it recommended.

"There is a need to promote cybersecurity as a social responsibility in BPO organisations, and promote cybersecurity on a war footing with collaboration between the government, industry, and academia, over and above all the work that is already being done," said ASSOCHAM secretary general D.S. Rawat.

Rawat further highlighted the presence of a lax implementation of security measures to keep a check on cyber frauds but the same should not be seen as an industry-wide problem. He also suggested that the expenses incurred on training, conferences, awareness programmes and other cybersecurity initiatives for residents should be included within these organisations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets.