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Consulting major Ernst & Young International will conduct a countrywide information security survey in a few weeks from now, involving hundreds of top Indian corporations.

Part of a worldwide global information security survey, the idea behind the study is to gauge the awareness level of Indian corporations in issues related to information security, say Ernst & Young officers.

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The survey will quiz companies on their preparedness to meet information security risks, Ernst & Young Senior Manager Haridas Raigaga says.

Special focus will be on security related issues concerning the Internet and electronic commerce.

This is the second time that India is part of a global survey on information security organised by Ernst & Young.

The first global information security survey was undertaken in 1997.

However, this year's survey will cover a wider spectrum of services and industries. It will be targeted at those corporations that rely on information technology for their day-to-day functioning.

The findings of the study will be incorporated into E&Y's Global Information Security Survey to be carried out simultaneously in over 30 countries.

A comparative analysis will also be made between response of various corporations vis-à-vis peers in their industry or service segment.

The 1997 survey had polled over 4,300 IT managers from 29 countries. The survey found that despite heightened awareness of security issues, many companies across the globe have serious gaps in their security.

For 86 per cent of respondents, security of their networks is the highest rated concern.

However, the survey found that of the organisations polled, 53 per cent do not monitor their online activities (including the Internet), 36 per cent do not monitor their network and 64 per cent have no planned incident response plan when an electronic intruder is detected.

Over half the respondents are not confident that their systems could withstand internal attack and more than a third are uneasy about their ability to weather an external attack, the survey said.

The 1997 survey highlights that security-related problems are having a negative effect on spread of electronic commerce.

Over 70 per cent of the respondents said that they would increase their use of Internet for business if security were improved.

Over 80 per cent of the respondents said that winning the commitment of top management is key to improving their companies' information security.

Analysts at Ernst & Young feel that the survey findings reinforce the need for companies to assess and improve their understanding of security controls.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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