.png){kind=logo}
GenAI is a powerful technology proving to be a game-changer across industries. But in the wrong hands, it can become a catalyst for unprecedented cybersecurity threats. From advanced malware, phishing, and social engineering, to reverse engineering and bypassing captcha tools, the threats are becoming stealthier by the day.
As per a McKinsey Global Survey, 53% of organisations acknowledge cybersecurity as a GenAI-related risk, but only 38% are working to mitigate this risk. However, Indian organisations are very bullish about fighting fire with fire. The Indian government, as well as businesses have already got the ball rolling. With efforts in play, they plan to harness the power of GenAI in innovative ways to tackle the fast-evolving threat landscape. The critical element in this strategy? Real-time data streaming.
GenAI and data streaming are coming together and disrupting the security space, giving defenders the tools they need to stay ahead of malicious players. Let’s look at three effective ways it is able to do so.
Cyber threats are rising in both sophistication and frequency, posing great risks to not only businesses, but also national security. These breaches are becoming harder to detect and counter by each passing day. Hence, it has become crucial to mitigate these risks as quickly as possible to prevent severe impacts on security and privacy.
This urgency is driving both governments and businesses to adopt advanced cybersecurity tools, such as GenAI and real-time data streaming, to continuously monitor, identify, assess and neutralise threats promptly. It can also be used to automate end-to-end response processes, reducing the time it takes to contain and resolve security breaches.
One such initiative launched by the Indian government is the Samanvay Platform, which is a joint cybercrime investigation facilitation system. This platform is helping law enforcement agencies by acting as a data repository for cyber crimes across the nation. It enables various agencies to share data dynamically, map crime, analyse data and coordinate efforts to resolve threats in real-time.
Behavioural analysis is another area in which data streaming plays a key role. By defining what is ‘normal behaviour’ within an organisation, security professionals can quickly identify abnormal behaviour and shut it down before it can do damage. A good example of this would be compromised credentials. If someone is impersonating an employee by hacking their credentials, a business can analyse their behavioural pattern, and if the user is behaving differently or partaking in a suspicious activity, it can lock them out in real-time. For this to take place seamlessly, there is an imperative need for data to be processed and analysed in the flow so that the insights can be as immediate and accurate as possible.
This is particularly beneficial in banking and financial services, as well as healthcare organisations, as they deal with high-risk and delicate information. Through real-time monitoring with the help of AI, businesses can monitor the behaviours of users related to login times, access patterns of sensitive files, data transfers, etc, and flag suspicious activity instantaneously for further investigation.
India’s vast expanse makes cybersecurity threats a nationwide challenge. To stay ahead, real-time threat intelligence must flow seamlessly across state lines. As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, defenders need to analyze increasingly complex data from a wide range of sources—making collaboration essential.
Together, GenAI and data streaming can correlate data from multiple sources, giving governments a comprehensive view of the threat landscape. This empowers them to signal, monitor, and respond to cybersecurity threats in real time.
To bolster national security in the digital age, India is building a specialised task force. These highly trained professionals, called the Cyber Commandos, will play a pivotal role in securing India's cyber ecosystem and responding to potential threats. Under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Home Ministry and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre have come together to create this team. To realise this, IIT Kanpur has launched a specialised six-month course called the Cyber Commando Training Programme. This has been designed to equip security professionals with cutting-edge skills so they can stay abreast of the ever-changing threats. These trained cyber commandos will assist all the states, union territories and central agencies in safeguarding the digital space across the country.
The power of GenAI and data streaming working in unison is truly transformative. It can not only help us get a grip on the cyber threat landscape and defend against emerging threats, but also push the boundaries of innovation so we can come out ahead. The truth of the matter is that these tools are available to both attackers and defenders. It is up to us to commit to the necessary infrastructure, cultivate the right talent and expand our knowledge so we are on the winning side.
Authored by Rubal Sahni, Area Vice President, India and Emerging Market, Confluent
[Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely of the author and Analytics Insight does not necessarily subscribe to it. Analytics Insight shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any damage caused to any person/organization directly or indirectly.]
