In our current digital age, cybersecurity is more crucial than ever. As we navigate this era where our lives are intertwined with technology, protecting our data has become as essential as safeguarding our money. Adding to this, artificial intelligence gives cybersecurity a powerful edge, making our digital defenses smarter and more effective.

ObserveNow Media recently concluded the 2nd Edition of the Digital Bharat CyberSecurity Summit & Awards 2024, held at Hotel Eros in Nehru Place, New Delhi. The event, themed “Revolutionizing Cybersecurity Through AI-Powered Capabilities”, brought together industry leaders, cybersecurity experts, and government officials to discuss the evolving landscape of cybersecurity in the digital age, focusing on the integration of AI technologies.

Powered by Google Cloud, with Thales as the Data Security Partner,  Utimaco & Rah Infotech as the Preferred Encryption Partner, ISB Executive Education as the Academic Partner, and ESDS as the Associate Partner, the event underscored the collaborative effort required to enhance cybersecurity measures through advanced technologies. The participation of these esteemed partners highlighted the importance of a unified approach in tackling cyber threats.

The inaugural panel discussion, moderated by cybersecurity expert Amit Dubey, focused on how AI-driven threat intelligence empowers cybersecurity applications for enhanced threat detection and response. Amit highlighted the rapid innovation by cybercriminals and the necessity of AI in mapping and classifying threat intelligence. Kapil Jaiswal, Director Research (InfoSec) & CISO, Government of India, discussed the transformative impact of GenAI and its reliability issues. Pooja Bansal, Director IT at Fareportal, emphasized the importance of access control and periodic data checks to ensure privacy. Dr. Jagannath Sahoo, Chief Information Security Officer at Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited, stressed the critical role of AI in detecting chemical leaks for employee safety. Abhishek Bansal, Chief Information Security Officer at Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd., noted the urgency of protecting sensitive information in the insurance sector against fast-evolving malware. Alok Shankar Pandey, CISO & AGM-IT at Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd., advocated for the combined deployment of human expertise and AI to safeguard against state-sponsored cyberattacks. Deepak Prasad, Customer Engineering Manager, Networking & Security at Google Cloud India, called for proactive security measures using threat-fed technology.

Deepak Prasad, Customer Engineering Manager, Networking & Security, Google Cloud India & Gaurav Madan, Networking Specialist Customer Engineer, Google Cloud India presented an industry presentation on Security in Google Cloud. 

The second panel discussion, moderated by Kapil Mehrotra, CISO of Dhanuka Agritech, delved into next-gen AI approaches for national security and citizen data protection. Kapil highlighted the evolution of government infrastructure to support AI. Sujoy Brahmachari, CIO and CISO , Rosmerta Technologies Limited emphasized the need for foolproof data protection before adopting technology. Mohit Kalra, VP and CISO, ORIX India stressed responsible AI usage and minimal data sharing. Rajveer Singh, Global Lead – Information & Cyber Security Risk Risk Management ,Saxo Bank  Risk underscored AI’s efficiency in threat detection and real-time vulnerability assessment. Puneet K Bhardwaj, Head IT , Cairn Oil and Gas discussed GenAI’s role in streamlining tasks related to governance and compliance. Anas Viquar, Director- Cybersecurity, PwC India outlined AI’s critical role in protecting citizens, the economy, infrastructure, and institutions. Shruti Mantri Associate Director, Institute of Data Science, ISB called for an ethical framework for AI, focusing on data protection and privacy.

Following the panel discussion Industry Presentation was given by Nishant Rana, Senior Solutions Sales, Thales Group on Ensuring Data Security in the Cloud: Best Practices, Compliance, and Industry Use Cases.

Manish Gupta Country Manager, India & Saarc, Utimaco also spoke on Safeguarding your Digital Fortress with Utimaco.

The event sparked significant discussion about the limitations of AI and emphasized the importance of being cautious about becoming overly dependent on it. Participants explored both the potential drawbacks and the critical need for careful implementation of AI technologies.

Shruti Mantri, Associate Director, Institute of Data Science, ISB Hyderabad presented exclusive report on The Piracy- Malware Nexus in India: A Perceptions and Experience and Empirical Analysis

The third panel discussion, moderated by Col Inderjeet Singh,DG, CSAI examined the implementation of Gen AI solutions for proactive threat mitigation and operational resilience. Col Singh explained the shift from traditional AI to GenAI and its impact on real-time data analysis and threat intelligence. Akshaya Kumar Patel, GM (IT-Commn) & CISO, NTPC Ltd highlighted the necessity of GenAI in staying competitive in cybersecurity. Manmeet Sain, Head IT & CISO, Indian Energy Exchange mentioned ongoing efforts to fully implement AI. Shaleen Khetarpaul, Additional Vice President & CISO, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited emphasized continuous system audits and real-time asset status monitoring. Sanjeev Singh, Chief Information Security & Data Protection Officer, Birlasoft advocated for a proper government framework and employee education on GenAI. Kumar Ravi, Chief Information & Security Officer, Teleperformance India and GBS noted the transformative potential of GenAI in generating new content. Himanshu Sharma, General Manager – Head, ICDC Gramax (GMR Group) suggested simulated attacks to test vulnerabilities. Sanjeev Kaushik, Chief Information & Security Officer, Adani Airports recommended setting up test labs for AI implementation. Dr. Jitendra Mohan Bhardwaj, Group CISO, Tata Advanced Systems Limited called for responsible AI usage due to its initial stages.

A special address by B Shanker Jaiswal, IPS Joint Commissioner of Police (Tech, Cyber & Licensing) for the Delhi Police, on AI in cyberspace highlighted the significant changes AI has brought to cybersecurity post-2012. Jaiswal discussed AI’s potential in automating defense mechanisms and the necessity of ethical considerations in its deployment.

The final panel discussion, moderated by Baidyanath Kumar, CISO & Data Protection Officer at JK Lakshmi Cement, focused on leveraging AI for real-time network defense and customer information security. Participants underscored the importance of understanding AI uses, integrating it with machine learning, and controlling threats through employee training and awareness.

Final Industry Presentation for the day was presented by Prashant Ray, Security Expert, ESDS SOFTWARE SOLUTION LTD on Securing Digital Bharat.

Umakant Tripathi, Director Cyber Security, LTIMindtree said  “First, we must understand the uses of AI and integrate it with ML. We need to investigate and integrate AI. If we don’t invest in AI, we won’t be able to tackle organizational attacks.”

Sanjay Sharma, Head of IT Infrastructure and Cyber Security, Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd. highlighted “The objective is to control threats through multiple training sessions and employee awareness.”

Suneel Wattal, CIC-Noida, Centre of Excellence, Mpsedc underscored that “ AI plays a major role in automating cybersecurity. Cybersecurity vs. AI is like a cat and mouse game. AI is more often misused than used, so we must stay ahead of cyber criminals.”

Preeti Singh, Head of Security Risk and Compliance, Osttra Services India highlighted “Integrating AI brings challenges like managing big data and its infrastructure. Training AI while ensuring privacy is crucial. If a tool does not generate positive results, it increases workload for human resources. Privacy is a major concern in AI, and it should be a priority during its design, with proper audits in place.”

The concluding address by Narendra Nath Gangavarapu, Joint Secretary of the National Security Council Secretariat, Government of India, emphasized the positive impact of increased cybersecurity awareness and national initiatives like MeitY’s IACA Programme.

The event concluded with an award ceremony honoring the leaders in cybersecurity.Vinit Goenka Secretary, Centre for knowledge Sovereignty (CKS) Former Spokesperson, BJP Delhi Former Member Governing Council- CRIS Ministry of Railway, preneted the awards to the awardees at the event.

The 2nd Edition of the ObserveNow Digital Bharat CyberSecurity Summit & Awards 2024 provided a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of cybersecurity in the digital era. With insightful discussions on the role of AI in enhancing cybersecurity measures, the event highlighted the importance of continuous innovation, collaboration, and ethical considerations in safeguarding sensitive information against ever-evolving cyber threats.