How crucial is security when it comes to IT outsourcing? A breach in security can harm your company's reputation and negatively impact revenue, as well as cause a loss of intellectual property. Intellectual property is probably one of the most valuable assets your company possesses and you can't afford for someone to steal it.
Black Book's 2007 State of the Outsourcing Industry Survey showed that 66 percent of the 22,000 respondents ranked security capabilities as the third most important factor they would consider when outsourcing. Yet, data security and intellectual property protection are still frequently overlooked. Some of the reasons security is disregarded include:
- The idea that the responsibility for security can be outsourced
- Security has a low profile within the organization
- An inadequate awareness of security exists at the senior management level
If security is not an important factor in the outsourcing deal, there is a risk of potential repercussions that can be especially damaging for your company. Not only will you face an increased chance of security incidents, including virus outbreaks, you also run the risk that controls will no longer be strong enough to meet compliance within your industry. The vendor's employees may steal data and intellectual property, if the appropriate
security measures are not implemented.
You need to address data security and make it a key element when creating the outsourcing contract. It is harder to add security into the outsourcing agreement later and it also tends to be expensive to revise the contract. That is why it should be an initial part of the outsourcing deal.
Whatever policies and access controls that are discussed should be outlined in detail in the contract. A signed non-disclosure agreement, non-compete agreement and no solicitation agreement can provide additional protection for your company. If a vendor refuses to include data protection information in the contract, it would be wise for you to consider a different global sourcing provider. Even after the initial terms are agreed upon and the contracts are signed, you should perform regular audits to ensure that data privacy policies are being followed and enforced.
You should develop the outsourcing relationship in such a way that it is apparent how security will be maintained during and after the agreement has needed. If you address security issues upfront, you have a better chance of protecting your data and intellectual property. Knowing that security is being protected will help you create a an effective outsourcing relationship.
Author Resource:-
A&E Consulting is a full service consulting firm that has been successfully helping clients with their global needs. Visit http://www.globalsourceyourit.com or call 661-200-3612 for more information.
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