'Security strategy should be built into organisations'

"Security is no longer just about a product, its about business and livelihood. It is therefore necessary to develop a security strategy built into the functioning of organisations and ensuring that it is monitored regularly," said Aravind Sitaraman, director "" engineering, optical and broadband technology group, Cisco India.

He was delivering the keynote address during the 'National Conference on e-Security and Business Process Continuity' organised by MAIT in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Speaking on the importance of a proper security infrastructure, Sitaraman went into the technical detail of the kind of security measures that organisations need to take in today's world.

"Threats will stay. But analysing threats can be a huge learning experience and can help us understand how to counter them," he said.

"We have set up the Central Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Delhi to help companies with their security measures. Corporates who feel that they need help or guidance in the matter should feel free to get in touch with the same," said B V Naidu, director, STPI, Bangalore.

He also spoke at length on how corporates were beginning to use ethical hackers to check on vulnerabilities and of the outsourcing of managed security services.

"Some years ago no US company would have even thought of outsourcing security. But now we can see that happening. The building up of security services among Indian vendors will ensure them a healthy pie of an estimated market size of $5 billion," he added.

According to him, the STPI will set up a common disaster recovery centre (DRC) in Mauritius sometime next year.

Other topics discussed during the day included 'information security', by a representative of Ernst & Young, 'Information Security in ICT, BPO and ITeS' by Mitish Chitnavis, head "" information security, MphasiS, and 'Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity "" Policies, Procedures and Practise' by Krishna Kumar, GM (IT), SBI.

Speaking on the recent furore over IT.com 2004, Naidu said, "There are very few companies who have actually raised an issue. We are addressing them. Every year we get good response for the event and this year too I am sure we will get a good response."