Cybersecurity Readiness in India: A Growing Concern Amid Rising AI Threats

Cybersecurity readiness remains critically low in Indian companies, with only 7 percent expected to reach a mature state by 2025, according to a report by the global technology firm Cisco. The research marks a slight improvement from the previous year, where only 4 percent met the criteria for maturity.

Cisco's findings underscore the ongoing challenges security practitioners face as hyper-connectivity and artificial intelligence introduce new complexities to the cybersecurity landscape. Last year, 95 percent of organizations encountered AI-related security incidents, yet only 66 percent of survey respondents express confidence in their workforce's understanding of these threats.

The report also highlights the frequency of cyberattacks, affecting 57 percent of Indian organizations due to fragmented security systems. There is a heightened emphasis on addressing external threats, perceived by 54 percent of respondents as more critical than internal dangers. This urgency drives the emphasis on developing streamlined defense strategies. Although 96 percent of firms use AI to enhance threat management, investment gaps persist, with only 54 percent of businesses allocating a minimal percentage of their IT budgets towards cybersecurity.

(With inputs from agencies.)