Upgrade security infra to fight against cyberattacks: V-C

Anantapur: A one-day workshop on 'Cyber Safety and Security' was organised by C-DAC & LCIF to all station house officers, Circle inspectors, DSPs and stakeholders.

Superintendent of Police Dr K Fakkeerappa, speaking on the occasion, said with the increasing adoption and usage of internet and enabled services, cybersecurity has become top priority for IT firms. Companies around the world have been battling cyber attacks from a range of sources.

Most of these breaches can be avoided if the companies have strong cybersecurity teams. Most of IT firms have started focusing on hiring in-house cybersecurity talent. The switch to remote working has further increased the concerns of IT firms.

S K University Vice Chancellor Prof M Ramakrishna Reddy observed that the importance of cybersecurity cannot be questioned. Internet users, including work-from-home employees, need to understand how grave these threats can be and have at least an anti-virus/internet security solution and basic cybersecurity awareness to protect them online.

Companies need to constantly upgrade their security infrastructure to battle against the cyberattacks. During these unprecedented times, the sudden rush to go digital has further made it challenging to safeguard the IT infrastructure.

Dr M Suresh Babu, Principal, YVSRCET stated that the most widespread threats among corporates include malware, ransomware, phishing attacks and physical theft. Here, technology plays a pivotal role in bolstering cybersecurity. Measures like multifactor authentication by adding biometrics, dynamic authentication technologies, and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML) will help in detecting and containing fraudulent activities faster and quicker. Sensitising people about the risk of such fraudulent activities is also essential to raise awareness about the potential risk. Its important to educate them on how they can safeguard themselves.

M Jagadish Babu, Project Manager, ISEA, said increasing cyber-attacks show why stringent cyber-security laws are need of hour.

While large companies and organisations have the capital and the resources to deploy various technologies and solutions on an individual level, the threat looms large.

Prof A V Ramana said India is among the most cyber-attacked countries in the world and hence it is imperative to have stricter cybersecurity and data protection laws to mitigate data thefts and cybercrimes. With over half a billion internet users and over 1.2 billion mobile accounts, India as a country is a breeding ground for cybercriminals. Several reports have registered that in the first 9 months of 2020 alone, organisations and individuals estimated losses of about $6 trillion due to cyber thefts with organisations deploying the highest level of security also falling susceptible to cyber-attacks. Researches have further predicted that by 2027, over 900 million Indians will have a digital presence and coupling it with the unscrupulous use of personal data and information by service providers, it is vital to implement stringent cybersecurity laws, says Dr M Virupaksha Reddy, president, AP Entrepreneurs Association.

Lions Club Charter president Er T Satyanarayana and Veda infra CEO V Sreenath were present.