During the Singapore Cyber Week 2023, held from October 17-19, experts emphasised the need for a proactive approach to cybersecurity, especially in light of recent developments
In the fast-paced realm of digital transformation and advanced technology development in India, cybersecurity experts have voiced concerns regarding the security challenges posed by the vast amount of data that the country must manage. These concerns are fuelled by the proximity of neighbouring adversaries and the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals. To address these pressing issues, Indian technologists and business leaders are being urged to foster collaboration, cooperation, and the creation of a comprehensive ecosystem for combating tech-driven threats.
During the Singapore Cyber Week 2023, held from October 17-19, experts emphasised the need for a proactive approach to cybersecurity, especially in light of recent developments. In the past six months, three of the most severely affected sectors in India in terms of weekly cyberattacks per organisation were Healthcare, Education/Research, and Utilities. Additionally, the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and transportation industries were advised to accelerate their cybersecurity efforts.
Cybersecurity is getting very complex, especially in today’s evolving threat landscape with increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, which in some cases is hard to understand and keep up with,” says Vivek Gullapalli, Chief Information Security Officer, APAC at the Check Point Software Technologies.
“Very often cybersecurity is mainly left to the responsibility of a company IT team to manage,” he said, calling for the involvement of the board and management to ensure that the organisation can survive cyberattack and continue doing business uninterrupted.
Gullapalli suggests a holistic way of looking at threats and attacks rather than delegating to an IT person. “You need to understand the business, the ecosystem and who is coming after you, and work with the board and management to implement a prevention-first cybersecurity strategy for maximum cyber resiliency.”
A recent report by Check Point’s Threat Intelligence reveals the alarming frequency of attacks on Indian organisations, with an average of 2,157 attacks per week per organisation, compared to the global average of 1,139 attacks.
The acceleration of digital transformation in the healthcare sector, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, often neglected security considerations, leading to vulnerabilities. In response, the Indian government passed the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act in 2023, a significant step toward safeguarding personal data and addressing privacy concerns.
Ashish Thapar, Vice President and Head of Cybersecurity at NTT Ltd., commended the government, defence, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and SEBI for their robust compliance measures. However, he noted that there is still room for improvement, as cybercriminals continually evolve and increase their activities.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and G20 forums are seen as positive steps in enhancing cybersecurity, with the potential for information-sharing agreements among members to boost cyber resilience. Kunal Anand, CTO and CISO of Imperva, emphasised the government’s commitment to fostering a self-reliant digital ecosystem rather than overregulation.
India’s growing venture capital industry and increased investments from venture funds and sovereign funds have curtailed the brain drain, with skilled individuals returning to contribute to the nation’s technological advancements. Anand also highlighted the construction of data centres in India to safeguard data within the country.
While the cybersecurity landscape is evolving, experts warn against complacency, particularly concerning supply chain security. With India’s burgeoning startup scene and a surge in funding, the cybersecurity challenges associated with a rapidly growing market must be addressed comprehensively.
Dr. Aditya Sood, Senior Director of Threat Research and Security Strategy at F5, underscored the importance of data visibility at the highest level of cybersecurity. He recognised that cybersecurity is evolving into a big data problem, and controlling data will be pivotal to protecting against cyber threats.
Sood underlines the urgent need to have a clearer visibility of data at the highest level of cyber security.
“Even if we have solutions in place, the challenge is going to pop up because cybersecurity is going to be the big data problem. And who is going to control the data is going to control the keys to the kingdom,” said Sood, who has spent over 15 years in the United States.
Despite the presence of laws, regulations, and compliance requirements, the borderless nature of cyberattacks remains a concern for experts. Cybersecurity experts stress the need for ongoing vigilance, cooperation, and a proactive approach to protect India’s digital landscape in the face of growing threats.
