Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning , CISO Trainings , Geo Focus: Asia

ISMG's Bengaluru Cybersecurity Summit: AI Takes Center Stage

Security Leaders Convene to Discuss Quantum Threats, Ransomware Defenses and AI
ISMG's Bengaluru Cybersecurity Summit: AI Takes Center Stage
Geetha Nandikotkur and Prof. D Janakiram at the 2024 Cybersecurity Summit: Bengaluru

Information Security Media Group recently concluded its Cybersecurity Summit: Bengaluru, uniting prominent security leaders to exchange insights and address the most pressing challenges in today's digital landscape. The summit featured sessions on topics ranging from harnessing AI for security to navigating data protection regulations and mounting proactive defenses against surging cybercrime.

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As cyberthreats continue to evolve in sophistication, security leaders will need to stay vigilant of technological advances such as AI and quantum computing while fostering a culture of perpetual preparedness and resilience.

"Engaging sessions on ransomware incident response featured discussions on the attack patterns of the cybercriminals and strategies to detect them and stay ahead of attackers," said Geetha Nandikotkur, vice president - conferences, Asia, Middle East and Africa, ISMG.

AI's Influence on Cyber Deception and Deepfakes

There has been a rise in the malicious use of artificial intelligence to create deepfake scenarios. Early this year, threat actors used deepfake technology to steal $26 million from a Hong Kong-based multinational company. Such deepfake incidents include elements of social engineering and financial fraud. In his plenary session, D. Janakiram, senior professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras, discussed building AI-powered defense mechanisms, understanding threat patterns, advanced detection techniques to map genuine content, and incorporating AI innovation as part of a multi-layered security approach to prevent financial fraud and social engineering attacks.

Cybersecurity Strategy and Resilience

Lt. Gen. M. Unnikrishnan Nair, national cyber security coordinator and PMO for the Indian government, discussed the road map for cybersecurity strategy in 2024 and beyond. As ransomware attack payments have doubled since 2022 and India's cyber incident rates have outpaced the global average, Nair urged enterprises to design dynamic cybersecurity strategies to proactively mitigate incidents and establish a robust cyber resilience posture in 2024.

Collaboration With Law Enforcement

In a keynote session, Pronab Mohanty, additional director general of police and CISO of Karnataka State, discussed the importance of collaborating with law enforcement to combat cybercrime and online fraud. Mohanty spoke about the need to build effective defenses to stay ahead of adversaries through cooperation between enterprises and law enforcement agencies.

Demystifying Data Protection and Privacy

Ramakant Mohapatra, director - privacy and data protection, EdgeVerve; Lakshminarayanan RS, enterprise cybersecurity strategy, architecture and regional CISO - Americas, Wipro; Amit Sharma, CIO and head - partnerships and CSR, Cytecare Hospitals Pvt. Ltd.; Jagannath PV, global data privacy officer, LTIMindtree, discussed the intersection between security and privacy. The session explored the extent to which CISOs should be held accountable for privacy alongside other functions and the alignment of business, finance, and IT with privacy considerations in light of the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

AI in Enterprise Security

A key focus area was the growing importance of artificial intelligence in enterprise security. In a panel discussion titled "Deep Dive: Harnessing AI in Enterprise Security Leadership," Firdosh Sheikh, founder and CEO, DRIFE; Sailaja Vadlamudi, vice president security and privacy, ERP Digital Supply Chain, SAP Labs India; Ankush Sabharwal, founder and CEO, CoRover; Akshay Sivananda, CyberEdBoard member, CISO, Saviynt; Kavitha Kadambi, CISO, Infosys, discussed successful use cases of integrating AI into security operations while working within regulatory constraints. Panelists concurred that strategically leveraging AI is crucial, but human expertise remains a vital component of an effective cybersecurity posture.

In an insightful debate between a CISO and a CRO on the implications of rapid advancements in AI for cybersecurity and risk management, Ram Kumar G, (CEB Member), cyber security and risk leader, Global Automotive Company; Sridhar Sidhu, (CEB Member), managing director and head of cybersecurity services group, Wells Fargo; and Sreeni Venugopal, CyberEdBoard member, CIO and CISO, Aster DM Healthcare, India, explored the potential for an AI-driven CISO and how such an entity would address risks in an AI-centric landscape without human intervention.

"Anonymous detection systems powered by AI can help detect and mitigate risks like malicious actors targeting electronic control units in the automotive industry, where a security compromise can lead to loss of human life," Kumar G said.

Anish Koshy, vice president, information and cybersecurity risk officer, Standard Chartered GBS, outlined steps security leaders should take to smoothly transition from classical to quantum-safe cryptography and build crypto agility. Data protection emerged as a major theme in the summit, with a CXO panel debating the implications of the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill and whether privacy falls under the CISO's purview. Experts cautioned attendees about the risks posed by "shadow data" and the need for better data discovery and classification.

The summit also featured an engaging workshop on ransomware incident response, where attendees participated in a tabletop exercise to get hands-on experience. "Responses reinforced the need for organizations to be prepared beforehand to recover quickly and minimize impact to business operations," Nandikotkur said. "The importance of a well-thought-out and regularly updated response playbook was highlighted."

The Cybersecurity Summit: Bengaluru exemplified the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the cybersecurity community. "Such events are crucial for security leaders to stay ahead of evolving adversaries and build resilient cyber defense postures for the future," Nandikotkur said.

Join ISMG at the Southeast Asia Summit: Cybersecurity & CIO.inc Business Transformation Conferences on June 6-7. Discover cutting-edge strategies and insights from industry experts on technology innovations across domains that influence the regions of Asia-Pacific.


About the Author

Amish Kulkarni

Amish Kulkarni

Copy Editor, Global Copy Desk

Kulkarni has more than five years of experience in copy editing and proofreading. In his current role, he refines content as a copy editor, ensuring it meets editorial standards. Prior to ISMG, he worked as an academic editor with STM researchers.




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