Cybersecurity Awareness Month highlights collective responsibility for India's digital security

As the world becomes increasingly dependent on digital technologies, the importance of cybersecurity has never been more pronounced. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and now in its 20th year it continues to be a time to reflect on the evolving landscape of cyber threats and the critical measures needed to secure our interconnected world.

Debashish Bhattacharyya, Chairman at PanIIT Alumni India, highlights the growing risk in today's digital environment.

He says, "The proliferation of technology has connected the world, and the level of connectedness is continuously increasing. While this helps us all, the breach of this connected world is the single most critical risk in today's environment. One keeps hearing about cyber attacks that result in critical systems crashing, denial of services, and stealing of business critical and personal data."

He underscores that the frequent occurrences of cyber attacks lead to disruptions and data breaches across personal and business domains. Bhattacharyya emphasises the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals, noting a demand that spans various sectors from government and NGOs to private enterprises.

Bhattacharyya says, "According to recent reports, India is expected to have a shortage of 1.5 million cybersecurity professionals by 2025. A 2-pronged approach of creating future ready professionals, and continuous upskilling and reskilling our workforce is critical to ensure proliferation of technology in a secure environment. As a community, we need to invest in education, foster public-private partnerships for training, and vest, on the government, the responsibility of implementing policy reforms for a proactive approach to security, ensuring that we stay ahead of ongoing and evolving threats."

"October, being the Cybersecurity Awareness Month, serves as a call to action - for policymakers, businesses, and individuals alike - to stay vigilant, adapt, and invest in securing our digital future," he concludes.

Murali Lakundi, Director of Software Engineering at Sabre India, brings attention to the modern challenges posed by cloud-based and data-intensive ecosystems.

He says, "The security needs of modern cloud-based, data-intensive ecosystems, are very complex and constantly evolving. AI can help strengthen the security posture of organisations by identifying emerging threats and attack patterns more quickly, and by recommending efficient mitigation steps. For example, automated threat intelligence and anomaly detection capabilities equip cloud security teams to contextualise threats and implement recommended remediation measures, to increase cyber resilience."

Lakundi endorses artificial intelligence (AI) as a pivotal tool in bolstering organisational security. By quickly identifying threats and suggesting efficient responses, AI enhances cybersecurity resilience, offering financial benefits in data breach responses, Lakundi states. AI also facilitates data governance and compliance, thereby securing organisational data integrity and confidentiality.

Sameer Goyal, Head of Engineering at Acuity Knowledge Partners, focuses on cybersecurity as a fundamental element in protecting personal, corporate, and national interests. He notes that the surge in IoT devices, cloud services, and remote working situations has increased the potential attack surface, making robust cybersecurity measures even more essential. The risks are not only substantial on an organisational level but also on an individual level, with the potential for identity theft and financial fraud from personal data breaches.

Goyal says, "To secure our world, we must adopt a multi-faceted approach. Education and awareness: Continuous training and awareness programs for individuals and organisations to recognise and respond to cyber threats. Advanced technologies: Implementing cutting-edge technologies such as AI and machine learning to detect and mitigate threats in real-time. Collaboration: Fostering collaboration between governments, private sectors, and international bodies to share intelligence and best practices. Regulations and policies: Enforcing stringent cybersecurity regulations and policies to ensure compliance and accountability."

"By embracing these strategies, we can build a resilient digital ecosystem that not only protects but also empowers our connected world. Remember, you are the first line of defense," Goyal states.

Overall, Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a call to action to policymakers, businesses and individuals. It reminds us of the collective responsibility to safeguard the digital future through vigilance, adaptation and investment in security measures. By adopting a collaborative and forward-thinking approach, the ongoing and evolving threats can be effectively managed, ensuring a secure environment for technological advancements.