Decrypt 2024, organized by ETCISO, brought together major Indian players cyber security experts to address the complexities introduced by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). The conference was a response to the alarming findings of the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024, which noted a significant decline in the number of organizations maintaining minimum viable cybersecurity. resilienceThis decline underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity strategies capable of countering sophisticated threats.
The event kicked off with a powerful announcement from Muqbil Ahmar, Editor-in-Chief of ETCISO, who highlighted the substantial global investments in digital transformationwhich is expected to reach $3.4 trillion by 2026. This has paved the way for discussions focused on the integration of AI into cybersecurity frameworks and the challenges that arise.
One of the main concerns discussed was the sharp increase in cyber threats, particularly state-sponsored attacks, which have increased by 278% in the last three years, mainly targeting sectors such as automotive, government and education. This escalation highlights the urgent need to strengthen protective measures at national and organizational levels.
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Lt Gen MU Nair, National Cybersecurity Coordinator, Government of India, delivered a special address on the evolving and dynamic threat landscape. He highlighted the critical role of AI tools in profiling and mitigating cyber threats and advocated for a collaborative approach involving policymakers, security leaders and academia to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity resilience.
Following this, Tushar Haralkar, senior national pre-sales manager for security software at IBM Technology Sales for India and South Asia addressed the vulnerabilities of hybrid cloud environments and highlighted the importance of securing AI applications to protect against data integrity compromises.
Lieutenant General Vinod G Khandare, Principal Advisor, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, spoke about geostrategic issues that affect national cybersecurity. He urged participants to exercise wisdom and vigilance, making decisions based on in-depth knowledge rather than external narratives.
A standout session from Ganesh Prasad, Head of SE at Imperva, focused on fundamental cybersecurity practices essential for today’s digital businesses. He discussed vulnerability assessment, user access management, and the need to implement policy-based controls to protect data.
The conference also included a panel on ‘Strategies to Combat Cloud Vulnerabilities’, attended by industry leaders like Shraddha Ukalkar, CIO of Mercedes Benz; Rajesh Thapar, CISO of NSE; and Sunil Kumar KN, Chief Compliance Officer at Federal Bank, shared their insights. They discussed the transition from security by design to privacy by design and highlighted the importance of a data-centric security approach in today’s threat landscape.
Anindya Sundar Ghosh highlighted the dual nature of legacy systems that, while offering reduced connectivity risks due to their isolation from modern systems, suffer from outdated security measures that can compromise both functionality and security. This dichotomy underscores the need for a balanced approach to updating and securing these systems. Baidyanath Kumar highlighted the growing adoption of smart technologies, such as SAS, and the increasing focus on carbon neutrality within enterprises. His observations highlighted the importance of integrating smart technologies to remain competitive in the era of Industry 4.0, aligning business practices with sustainability goals.
Ambarish Kumar Singh highlighted the pervasive influence of smart technology across various sectors, emphasizing that “everything is becoming smart and culture is of paramount importance.” His statement reflects the broader implications of technology on corporate culture and operational ethics. Amit Mittal from IBM ISA – Cybersecurity discussed the critical importance of implementing robust monitoring systems for IT assets to enable organizations to quickly detect and respond to potential threats, thereby ensuring continuity and security operational. He also highlighted the crucial role of ongoing employee training in maintaining a secure IT environment.
Kishan Kendre advocated for maintaining basic security measures and hygiene practices, which remain essential to protect against evolving threats. His call for adhering to fundamental security protocols provides a foundation for developing more complex security strategies. Amanjit Makesh spoke about the need for organizations to adopt OEM-neutral architectures that support multiple original equipment manufacturers, thereby facilitating effective asset performance management across diverse systems and equipment.
In a panel discussion moderated by Preethi Yeshwanth, discussions focused on the “Zero Trust Framework for Enterprises,” exploring how such frameworks can effectively mitigate insider threats by strengthening security protocols around user and device access. This session focused on the evolving nature of security strategies in response to changing cyber threat landscapes.
The conference also addressed geostrategic challenges in cybersecurity, with Lt. Gen. Vinod G. Khandare speaking on the importance of robust and resilient cyber capabilities to prevent unauthorized access and ensure national security. A session titled “Building a Cyber-Resilient Enterprise,” moderated by Sneha Jha, explored strategies to build organizational resilience against cyber threats. Discussions focused on the importance of visibility in preventing ransomware attacks and the potential of AI in early threat detection.
Jagannath PV and Tanin Chakraborty discussed the critical role of Data Protection Officers in ensuring compliance with the DPDP Act and managing privacy in a data-driven world. These discussions highlighted the ethical dimensions and technological risks associated with AI and the metaverse. Decrypt 2024 provided valuable insights into the multifaceted challenges of cybersecurity in the digital age. Bringing together a diverse group of experts to discuss strategies ranging from the most fundamental to the most innovative, the conference highlighted the need for a multi-layered approach to security, combining technological advances with rigorous governance to guard against a landscape of increasingly complex threats.
The conference concluded with a call to action for businesses to implement comprehensive AI governance frameworks to mitigate the risks associated with automated and intelligent systems. Additionally, the growing cybersecurity skills gap was recognized as a critical issue, with a strong recommendation for improved training and retention strategies for cybersecurity professionals.
(With contributions from Salvi Mittal)
