SoDIT (Union of IT Directors), AZI (Association of Information Protection) and INSOR conducted a workshop on the interaction of IS and IT services. The workshop united IT directors and heads of information security services representing various organizations and regions in Russia.
 
According to Boris Slavin, Chairman of the SODIT (Union of IT Directors) Board, the purpose of the workshop was to develop recommendations on the organization of IS services in a company to assist an IT director in his practical activities.
 
The discussion of experts’ presentations led the participants to conclude that a current priority objective is to make IS part of business activity. The primary IS index is payback, and accordingly, information technologies are to have a positive effect on profit. The suggestion arose that IS authority should be correctly delegated and professionals need to be trusted. Every member of a company is responsible for information security, and therefore, IS should become a part of corporate culture.
 
The experts also concluded that there is a lack of specialists and the market for retraining them has not been developed. It is necessary to devise a set of programs for training specialists, organize master classes, and take into account the views of business when elaborating professional standards.
 
At the end of the workshop, the experts made the following recommendations:
 
1. The feasibility of developing guideline documents and recommendations for the organization of information security services for medium-sized and small business.
 
2. The feasibility of setting up an advisory committee for the interaction of information security services and information technologies.
 
Upon reporting the results of the roundtable, SODIT Board Chairman Boris Slavin closed the workshop and announced that the next one, to be held in October, will focus on the protection of personal data.