Q. The way people work has changed post pandemic and many companies have adopted remote working models. How has this led to greater risks of cyber-attacks and what can organisations do about it?
The cyber landscape is getting more sophisticated, and the threat landscape has become much bigger than it ever has before. We’re talking not only about increased attacks, but also the sophistication level of these attacks is really changing, and enterprises need to be so much more conversant in cybersecurity. The best way to secure an enterprise is to prevent the attack in the first place. Everything we do, every product, every service we design is with prevention in mind. The way we work has fundamentally changed, and as people are integrating their work and life a whole lot more, it means the attack surface has grown.The biggest attack vector for cybersecurity today is email, because if you think about phishing attacks. Email is so pervasive, it’s everywhere. We look at it on our phones, our tablet, our work computer, on our personal computers. We have many more threat actors now than before and the way we respond to that is by offering a portfolio of products – that protect the data center, the Cloud, and the people.
Q. Is the issue of cyber security increasingly becoming the concern of CEOs, Boards and other top leadership at organisations? Is there a business case for cyber security?
It all begins with the top leadership, where CEOs and boards must fully comprehend and embrace the gravity and significance of a robust cyber security strategy. Across India, cyber security is regularly discussed at the board level, with risk assessments being conducted to determine the potential impact of cyber attacks on the business. Therefore, it’s crucial that our clients see us not only as a provider of technology solutions but also as a trusted partner and advisor in developing the best cyber resilience plan for their organisation. Consultation and advice provided by Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) to CEOs and management teams is essential to achieving effective cyber security. It’s not just a matter of technology but also the business case for cyber security. We have successfully provided our services to various industries, including healthcare, government, education, and financial services, which are critical to the safety of citizens. Our involvement extends beyond just providing technology; we actively work with CISOs and CEOs to develop the most effective cyber security plan for their organisation.
Q. Which are the industry sectors that are most vulnerable to cyber threats?
The sectors that are most vulnerable include healthcare, education, government, military, and financial services. That apart, I would say that every sector is vulnerable to cyber threats. However, in addition to the ones we mentioned earlier, there is a particular concern for startups and entrepreneurial ventures in India, which are often born in the Cloud. These companies cannot rely solely on their cloud service provider for cyber security and need to have a strong cloud security plan in place. With India’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, there are countless small companies and founders, all of whom have a unique take on cyber security as their data is often entirely in the Cloud. Therefore, Cloud-native or born in the Cloud companies are another area of significant interest to us.
Q. Are there an increasing number of boards and leadership of companies that are seeking to advise on issues of cyber security?
Indeed, that’s becoming more and more evident. Our mission is not just about selling products in the short term, but rather protecting our clients in the long run. And that’s where being a trusted advisor becomes crucial, serving as the initial step in the overall sales process.
Our field CISOs, who have held similar positions in large companies worldwide, have been invited to board meetings to present the business case for cyber security. While we may be invited to discuss a particular technology, our interests extend beyond that, as protecting one area is not enough. It’s like protecting one floor of a building from a fire while ignoring the safety of the rest of the building. We take a holistic approach to cyber security, looking at how we can protect the entire organisation rather than just selling a specific technology. Our goal is to protect the whole building and everyone inside it, rather than just one area. So, while we can certainly provide support to a specific area, we always take a step back and assess the bigger picture to ensure the safety of the entire organisation.