Category: Feature

Gaurav Ranade, CTO, RAH Infotech The rising cybersecurity risks are a cause for worry for IT teams across verticals. This is where organizations need a proactive and advanced mechanism to counter the new-age threats and threat actors. Exposure and vulnerability management are considered as one of the most ideal solutions for mitigating cyber threats But what is exposure and vulnerability management? Exposure and vulnerability management are both important aspects of cybersecurity, but they focus on different aspects of protecting an organization’s systems and data. Exposure management is the process of identifying and mitigating potential risks or vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems and infrastructure. It involves assessing the overall risk landscape and implementing measures to minimize the impact of potential threats. Vulnerability management is a subset of exposure management and specifically focuses on identifying, evaluating, and mitigating vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems and applications. It involves a systematic approach to proactively identify and address weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. The key components for strong exposure management are – vulnerability assessment, risk assessment, risk mitigation, patch management, secure configuration management, security awareness and training, incident response planning, and continuous monitoring. Why is exposure management needed? Exposure management in cybersecurity is crucial for several reasons: Risk Reduction: Exposure management helps in reducing the overall risk to an organization’s digital assets. By identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the system, exposure management minimizes the chances of cyberattacks and data breaches. Vulnerability Identification: This process helps in understanding potential entry points that attackers could exploit, allowing proactive measures to be taken to strengthen security. Prioritization of Security Measures: Exposure management helps organizations prioritize their security measures based on the level of risk associated with each vulnerability. Compliance Requirements: Many industries and regulatory frameworks require organizations to implement exposure management practices as part of their security and compliance efforts. By adhering to these standards, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to protecting sensitive data and maintaining a secure environment. Incident Response Preparedness: By continuously monitoring and managing exposures, organizations can detect and respond to potential security incidents more effectively. This proactive approach allows for faster containment and remediation of security breaches, reducing the overall impact on the organization. Reputation and Customer Trust: Exposure management helps in preventing and minimizing the impact of security breaches, enhancing the organization’s reputation and maintaining customer confidence in their ability to protect sensitive information. Skybox’s award-winning exposure management solution is a go-to option for businesses Skybox’s Vulnerability and Threat Management solution leverages the company’s proprietary network modelling, exposure management, and path analysis to provide precise exposure analysis and vulnerability prioritization and management. Skybox’s approach to vulnerability and threat management delivers four essential benefits for customers: Skybox aggregates vulnerability data from all assets (including IT, OT, and multi-cloud) and every corner of the network. Unique scan-less detection capabilities and active scanning deliver a 360-degree view of the attack surface. Daily, human-curated threat intelligence is fed into the Skybox network model. Exposure, CVSS severity, exploitability, asset importance, and automated cyber risk quantification capabilities including financial impact provide an exact risk score used to prioritize action where it matters most proactively reducing your risk of attack. Skybox identifies and automatically recommends effective, practical options to reduce risk. Available patches are aggregated by Skybox threat analysts daily, however, remediation options go beyond patching and include configuration changes, network segmentation, and more. Attacks, including zero days, can be prevented, even when patches are impractical or unavailable. Integrations with ITSM tools assist in implementing and maintaining remediation through ongoing oversight. The solution automatically generates tickets, tracks performance versus SLAs, keeps stakeholders apprised, and ensures issues are promptly addressed. Skybox continues to evolve this solution and recently added the ability to quantify cyber risk exposure in financial terms to help organizations pinpoint cyber risks with the highest potential financial impact. By implementing exposure management practices, organizations can reduce their attack surface, minimize the risk of data breaches, and improve their overall cybersecurity posture. It is important to tailor exposure management strategies to the specific needs and risks of each organization and regularly review and update them to address emerging threats and technologies. *Views expressed in the article are solely of the Author RAH Infotech is India’s leading value-added technology distributor and solutions provider. Headquartered in New Delhi, RAH Infotech has been providing world-class IT solutions since the year 2005 to a large number of channel partners and enterprises in the India & SAARC regions. The rich portfolio includes a wide range of best-of-breed solutions to address requirements across Security, Data, Network, Application, Storage, and beyond.As a top-tier technology enabler, we manage the entire value chain of data management requirements of enterprises and protect their digital assets. We partner with the finest global technology firms to develop customized IT solutions in the area of cybersecurity, networking, cloud computing, data management and application management for various industry verticals.  

Ashish Kumawat, Former Security Professional with Reliance Group Support Services; PhD in Public Policy and Law from Central University of Rajasthan In any nation, laws and public policies are the torchlights for development within any domain. It sets forth the path to be followed, the existence of a liberal/ restrictive space within which the innovations can flourish or be curtailed. However, the main problem pertains to the long gestation period in the visibility of the outcomes, which may restrict the promptness of the governments to amend the policy or to resort to Parliament to amend the laws. The same may also hold for cyber-space in India. As per the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), India remains the second most cyber-attack-affected country globally. Dr U.K. Vairagade, associate professor, Dr. (Sow.) IBP Women’s College (Aurangabad) says that the modern thief can still do more with a computer than with a gun. Dr Vairagade argues that today’s terrorists can do much more harm with a keyboard than with a bomb. In this age of artificial intelligence, internet of things and cloud computing, do people like Osama still need to hijack a narrow plane? The obvious answer, as we all may agree, is that today, a simple attack on critical infrastructure can be more devastating than any other attack. One of the best and most recent examples of this case is Russia’s cyber-attacks on Ukraine. Therefore, the importance of cyber-security cannot be underestimated. Anju A. Singh, assistant professor, V.N. Patil Law College (Aurangabad), states that we cannot ignore cyber-security in India as it has become an indispensable asset to protect businesses, governments, institutions, and individuals. Legal and policy strategies adopted in India Given the importance of cyber-security and its potential to disrupt the political as well as socio-economic fabric of the nation, India did not remain aloof in the challenges brought about by growing cyberspace. It promptly adopted the following strategies. Legislative strategies A. The Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act, 2000) and its Amendment in 2008 (IT Act, 2008): It envisages a coalition of actors where responsibilities are fixed among various stakeholders. The important sections in these Acts are: Section 43: It makes hacking anyone’s computer or network a punishable offence. It includes manipulation of storage, the introduction of contaminants or computer viruses, denial of access, damage to any associated component of computer vision network data etc.; Section 43A: This section was introduced via amendment in 2008 to the original act. It makes a body corporate responsible for protecting the ‘sensitive personal data’ of its stakeholders. Here central government holds the right to prescribe what ‘sensitive personal data’ means. Section 66F: The act of cyber terrorism shall be punishable with imprisonment which can be extended to life imprisonment. Section 72A: This section makes it a criminal offence to disclose personal data without the data subjects’ consent or in any breach of a lawful contract. Here the person performing the contract is aware that their action can likely cause wrongful loss or gain. One of the critical institutional mechanisms that arose from the IT Act of 2008 was the establishment of the Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-IN), which was responsible for scanning internet traffic. B. Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022: An upgrade over the withdrawn Draft Data Protection Bill, 2019, it fixes liabilities on data fiduciaries (an institution which keeps the data of users/ citizens). It also gives necessary rights to citizens, like obtaining information and seeking necessary corrections. One crucial aspect is the right to seek the erasure of data once the data’s purpose has been met. However, there is an element of differentiality in this clause’s applicability to private and specific public organisations. C. Indian penal code (IPC): Section 500 (defamatory emails): it attracts imprisonment up to 2 years or a fine or both. IPC under sections 463 and 383 makes email spoofing and web jacking punishable crimes, respectively. Further, sections 201, 292, 294, 409,448 and 509 can be used to govern cyber-crimes. Also, the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction under Article 21 of the Constitution can be invoked in cyber-crimes affecting privacy. Policy and associated strategies: A. National Cyber Security Policy 2013: One of the most promising aspects of this policy was the set up of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) under the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). India has successfully started leveraging this institution. For example, it’s a successful warning against the Shadow Pad attack. Another key feature of this policy was creating a talent pool of five lakh cybersecurity professionals by 2018. Further, it envisages the concept of shared responsibility for tackling social and economic issues in the form of emphasis on public-private partnerships. One of the successful initiatives has been Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative. B. Cyber security and R&D: there have been significant developments in the field of R&D, like the creation of the techno-legal National Cyber Security Database of India. Also, a Cyber Security Software Repository has been created. Further, many initiatives have been taken to advance cyber security at the individual, organisational level. cases: There have been certain landmark Indian cases related to the prevention of cybercrime and various interpretations related to the IT Act of 2000 and 2008, IPC. These also have implications for the evolution of the policies. These are: Suhas Katti case: It is related to posting derogatory messages about a divorced woman. The accused was punished under section 67 of the IT Act, 2000 and section 469, 509 of IPC. Pune City Bank case: Few Citibank employees won customers’ trust, got the pin numbers from them and transferred USD 3,50,000 to bogus accounts. Later, the accounts where the money was transferred had to be frozen. Jogesh Kwatra case: Jogesh Kwatra, an employee of the plaintiff company, started sending defamatory, vulgar emails to his subordinates and customers worldwide. The aim was apparent- to defame the company. Finally, Delhi High Court assumed the jurisdiction in this case. Bank NSP case: This case pertained to deception using…

Prakash Prabhu – Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder, VisionBot We have seen how Visionbot™ can take your visual inspection monitoring to the next level. With Visionbot™, you can automate those manual workflows using AI and Deep Learning. It’s like having a super-smart assistant that can detect objects, events, and anomalies in real-time. And get this, it works with your existing fixed video cameras, so you don’t need to invest in any additional hardware Imagine this: Most of your operational workflows are already semi-automated and captured by your ERP system. How about unifying multiple data points generated within all your business processes with the power of Visual AI. The autonomic enterprise is a self-optimizing business that applies AI and automation to decisioning, operations, and servicing across the organization. You can get real-time reports and alerts from the field or shop floor without any hassle. Field workers can simply send and get reports over images, videos, or text while on duty. Visionbot™ will do its magic, leveraging AI and Deep Learning to analyse and detect any issues or anomalies. This frees up your field workforce and supervisory staff to focus more on their core tasks and services. No more wasting time on manual reporting and supervision. Business operations in any agile enterprise is a combination of processes, interactions and activities that result in products services and information, and ultimately provide value to customers and stakeholders of the organization. Automation of business operations tends to be relatively based on historical processes with adaptability based on anticipated conditions. Autonomic business operations extend this by evaluating current and changing processes with more adaptability based on changing conditions. When you unify Visual AI with data driven process automation, you leverage Inferential and Generative AI techniques that optimize and automate back-end processes at scale. At Visionbot™, we work on deep learning and various implementations of GANs to enhance operational efficiencies in core areas of construction, manufacturing, logistics, retail and many more verticals. The incremental journey to an autonomous enterprise is not a leap but a consistent shift Manual-led: Where people make most decisions, performing all functions. Automated: Where tech handles routine while people take on non-routine actions for scale and efficiency. Self-learning/ AI-guided: Where tech provides the real-time insights people need to make decisions for relevance and speed. Self-optimizing: Where tech drives agility autonomously while people focus on innovating to meet enterprise-wide objectives. Enterprise owners and technology innovation leaders wanting to exploit emergent autonomic business operations trends should: Create visibility and understanding of internal operations that underpin operational excellence and external interactions as represented by customer journey models. Do this by discovering exceptions and shadow operations with process mining, and providing input to the Autonomic operational process. Operationalize the design of risk, compliance and, by extension, sustainability controls through understanding and connecting these controls to the day-to-day business operations. Explore the path from autonomous business operations to autonomic business operations – the automation of automation, or automation with limited human intervention. According to Gartner research by 2024, 25% of global enterprises will have embraced process mining as a step-up to autonomic business. This means showing adaptive behaviour and aiming to enhance adapt ability and resilience of an organization by delivering continuous insights, guidance and actions connected to the actual situation (current state), targeted at a new operating model (future state), and driven by decision support capabilities (AI data driven). Business operations resilience Based on available day-to-day operational data, process mining tools continuously seek and find the relevant objective operational data. The advanced process mining algorithms then provide an accurate model of the ways of work in a format that can be understood by anybody in the organization. Autonomous business operations resilience Adding execution or automation capabilities to the mined data allows for an autonomous way of handling this operation. Autonomous does not relate to outcomes and only acts within predefined patterns or predefined rules that limit the change to processes, activities and/ or information. Autonomic business operations resilience Through providing awareness and learning capabilities, the full resilience life cycle is handled in an autonomic way. Autonomic implies the ability to adjust the structural rules or patterns based on the observed changes in the real-world process activity versus the historical baseline context within a business operations model. Autonomic business operations will have considerable impact in many business areas. Operational excellence. Customer experience. Risk and compliance. Sustainability Automation EXAMPLE : AI driven Autonomic operations Optimization of Production Schedule It can analyse thousands of Production Scenarios and create valid and optimal plans/ schedules that maximizes yield while improving other important production outcomes. EXAMPLE : AI driven Autonomic operations Optimization of Production Schedule I t can analyse thousands of Production Scenarios and create valid and optimal plans/ schedules that maximizes yield while improving other important production outcomes. ROI Example 10-20% improvement in OTIF planning and scheduling performance. 25% improvement in customer satisfaction. Reduced Delta between Forecast and Billed Sales. 15% reduction in rolling inventory levels. Data Needed Historical Production Yield data. Historical Production Schedules used. Order Booked. Forecast. Inventory schedules. Why Visionbot™? 1.1 Purpose Built AI State-of-the-art and configurable AI engine built with deep industry expertise. 1.2 Outcome Driven Committed to creating value with an collaborative outcome-oriented approach. 1.3 Interconnected Decisions Interconnected decisions enabled through our Visionbot™ AI Cloud platform tailored for consumer businesses. 1.4 Time to Value Accelerated deployment, scalable architecture, faster time-to-value. With Visionbot™, decisions & workflows are continuously optimized by real-time, unified AI, process mining and automated visual discovery. Connect with our experts to understand how companies are using Visionbot™ AI driven Computer Vision to strengthen security, safety and streamline operations. https://visionbot.com/contactus We welcome Technology Integrators and sector specific VAR’s to be come a Visionbot™ channel partner, and discover the opportunity to offer a cutting-edge AI-powered computer vision solution to your customers. https://visionbot.com/partnering.    

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2023: Full and equal participation of women and girls in STEM fields promoting gender equality and eliminating gender discrimination Drew Faust, an American Historian and the first woman to serve as the President of Harvard University, said, “We educate women because it is smart. We educate women because it changes the world.” Data from UNESCO in 2022 says that only 35% of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students in higher education globally are women. But India shows that 44% of total graduates in STEM are women. India ranks second in the world’s top 20 countries with the highest number of women Tech CEOs. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science observed on 11th February every year since 2015 acts as a testimony to Drew Faust’s statement on women’s education and India’s efforts. Melody Lopez Director & Chief of Staff Crayon Software Experts India The United Nations passed the resolution as an acknowledgement of how women have been under-represented in STEM fields. This year’s theme is ‘full and equal participation of women and girls in STEM fields promoting gender equality and eliminating gender discrimination.’ The data from UNESCO shows that the trend in India for women in STEM education is positive. While education in STEM fields shows a higher number of women graduating, the numbers are declining as they progress into the workforce. Organizations must stabilize the work environment with a sustainable approach for women. The ‘silent resignation’ by women holds a mirror for the difficulties in bridging the gaps within organizations. The lack of leadership training, toxic environment and no right DEI measures is just the surface. Mentoring women for leadership positions and allowing flexibility in the workplace for women to thrive in STEM fields will certainly help break the glass ceiling. With India already leading at a global level in terms of women graduating in STEM fields, even minor fine-tuning in work culture will do wonders. This will boost the efforts of world forums in forming and dedicating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.  

Milind M Borkar – Security Expert and Consultant A physical security system is an important investment for most businesses. Here are some factors to consider when determining if your business needs a physical security system. Do you have assets that require protection? This could include physical assets such as inventory, equipment, and cash, as well as digital assets such as customer data and intellectual property. Is your business located in an area with a high crime rate? A physical security system can help deter criminal activity and provide evidence in the event of a break-in or theft. Do you have employees or customers on-site? A physical security system can help ensure their safety by preventing unauthorized access to your premises. Are you required to comply with industry regulations or standards? Certain industries such as healthcare and finance have strict regulations regarding the protection of sensitive data. A physical security system can help you meet these requirements. If any of these factors apply to your business, it is likely that you could benefit from having a physical security system in place. It is important to assess your specific needs and risks to determine the best type of physical security system for your business. Physical security systems involve using multiple layers of interdependent systems designed to protect people and property from damage, theft, and harm. These layers include access control, alarm intrusion, video surveillance, security guards, door locks, fire protection, and other systems designed to protect people and property. One of the key components of physical security is physical access control, which involves the use of measures to restrict and regulate who can gain entry to different locations or assets within an organization. Physical access control is important for several reasons. First, it helps to protect employees by providing them with a safe working environment. By controlling who has access to different areas of the organization, physical access control can help to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining entry and potentially causing harm. Second, physical access control can help to track visitor and employee access. By actively monitoring who has the keys to come in and out of different areas of the organization, it is possible to track any unusual behavior and take appropriate action if necessary. Third, physical access control can help to protect an organization’s assets. By restricting access to sensitive areas or assets, physical access control can help to prevent theft, damage, or unauthorized access. Fourth, physical access control can provide access schedules. By setting up schedules for when certain individuals are allowed to access certain areas or assets, it is possible to ensure that only authorized individuals are able to gain entry at specific times. Fifth, physical access control can provide remote control of permissions. By using electronic systems to manage access permissions, it is possible to remotely grant or revoke access as needed. The physical security requirements should be integrated into a single pane within the physical security system. This enables users to control all elements quickly and efficiently. These include integration of access control, alarm intrusion, video, facial recognition, HR database, hardware management, mobile credentials, visitor management and credentials (card, mobile, facial). Additionally, the physical security system should include various features/ functionality that allows comprehensive management, configuration and administration. Leaving the physical environment vulnerable because of perceived budget or time constraints can have serious consequences for a business. If a business does not invest in adequate physical security measures, it may be vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other forms of unauthorized access. This can result in significant losses, both in terms of financial costs. Overall, while it may seem like an added expense, investing in physical security is essential for protecting a business’s assets, personnel, and data. By taking the time to assess their needs and budget for physical security measures, businesses can help ensure that they are protected against potential threats and risks. Determining the budget for physical security involves considering a variety of factors such as the size of your business, the type of assets you need to protect, and the level of security required. Here are some steps you can follow to determine the budget for physical security: Identify your needs: Start by identifying what you need to protect and what level of security is required. This will help you determine what type of physical security measures are necessary and how much they will cost. Consider the features of the best business security systems (e.g., easy access, current technology); look for systems that integrate well with each other. Consider the cost of installation and maintenance when choosing a system. Plan for future growth: Keep in mind that your physical security needs may change over time as your business grows or evolves. Make sure to budget for future upgrades or expansions to your physical security system. To summarize, physical security is essential in protecting people, assets, and data from potential threats and risks. Without effective physical and data security measures in place, an organization may be vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other forms of unauthorized access. Since 1997, IMRON Corporation has been a leader in developing innovative software solutions for the security industry, with a focus on providing peace of mind to customers. In 2003, they expanded their offerings to include complete software and hardware solutions under the IMRON brand. The founder, Imron Hussain, was a pioneer in the development of fully integrated Windows-based applications for Access Control, Video Management, and Alarm Management. Their flagship product, UnityIS, is an award-winning web platform that offers a powerful and versatile solution to users. With its unique features and integration capabilities, UnityIS can be deployed in the cloud or on-premises for complete air gap environments. It provides unparalleled flexibility and choice by integrating with more non-proprietary open access hardware platforms than any other solution on the market. IMRON Corporation’s products have been installed and field-tested at thousands of sites worldwide, across a variety of industries and scales. Our emphasis on customer responsiveness and product innovation drives our…

Manish Dahiya Head – Corporate Security & Liasion The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group Manish Dahiya chronicled a distinguished career of two decades in corporate security in diverse domains mainly into hospitality with hotel chains of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. He possesses a committed, efficient security deft in private security industry. He excelled in training and emplacement of almost 1000+ security professionals during his career. He successfully and seamlessly managed the stay of VVIPs during the international events like stay of 650+ media professionals during Commonwealth Games in 2010, stay of 5 heads of various states during 3rd India-South Africa summit in 2015 and stay of 7 heads of different countries during maiden summit of International Solar Alliance in 2018. He exemplifies the elemental ability to build significant association and critical business liaisons. His expertise in technologically advanced emergency management process is a key factor in crisis preparedness & business continuity with optimum facility of safety & public security. He also received multiple prestigious awards, including the Best Hospitality Personality Award from the International Hospitality Council 2017 Introduction Over the years, the hospitality industry has been evolving to keep pace with technology. The emergence of new technologies and new practices have completely changed the experience & spectrum of travel and hotel stay. The buzz word is to stay competitive by innovating way and adoption of technologies. The future of hospitality will be determined and dominated by the latest tech trends to provide guests with personalized experiences that meet their specific requirements. Keeping pace with tech developments calls for continued innovation. Therefore, we will be looking at some of the most important trends that are expected to shape the future of the hospitality industry in 2023. How Technology relates to Hospitality Sector Hospitality technology constitutes a wide range of IT, e-commerce, and similar technology solutions within the hospitality industry. It is either intended to improve the overall experience for hospitality customers or make life easier for a business’s employees. This is done by enhancing the automation content and reduce the workload of hotel staff, to accelerate the processes resulting in saving of money & time and to help the customers at multiple points along their journey in hospitality industry. What makes Technology a key element in shaping the future of Hospitality? The rise of the digital community signifies that competition is rife. Customers are now demanding more personalized options to meet their discrete requirements. Hotels, therefore, need to leverage the resources and systems at their disposal if they wish to retain loyal clients. Technology in hospitality sector is here to play a significant role and its presence is bound to increase in future. Hospitality industry must showcase the amenities digitally which people can access at home and even aim to exceed those expectations. It’s all about customizing the services to meet the aspirations and demands of customers. Technology enables hotels to meet guest demands and preferences with a click of button. Hotel technology also helps businesses focus on strategy saving valuable time and resources on routine everyday tasks. Latest trends defining the hospitality industry Virtual Reality Tour of Hotel In particular, this can make the difference when customers are ready to make a booking, because it will give potential customers a much clearer sense of what they can expect when they visit. Those working in hospitality marketing have a particularly good opportunity to capitalize on virtual reality technology and gain an edge over rivals because it allows customers to experience elements of a hotel or to see the layout of a restaurant before booking. Most modern virtual reality tour videos can be viewed within a web browser, making them easily accessible. A greater level of immersion can also be achieved if users have access to a VR headset “Hospitality technology constitutes a wide range of IT, e-commerce, and similar technology solutions within the hospitality industry. It is either intended to improve the overall experience for hospitality customers or make life easier for a business’s employees. This is done by enhancing the automation content and reduce the workload of hotel staff, to accelerate the processes resulting in saving of money & time and to help the customers at multiple points along their journey in hospitality industry” Mobile Check-In Mobile check-in hospitality tech is another trend to improve the customer experience at the point of their initial arrival. Crucially, mobile checkins swerve the need for face-to-face customer interactions, meaning customers can potentially have greater flexibility regarding when they check in. Contactless check-ins let you skip frustratingly long wait times at the front desk, reduced staff productivity, and manual errors. The introduction of mobile technology will enable guests to use their smartphones to control room temperature, turn on the lights, and even order room service among other things. Recognition Technology Recognition technology is one of the most important emerging tech trends, but its potential uses in the hospitality industry are especially interesting. In particular, biometrics is used to usher in a new age of seamless authentications, which could benefit hotel processes and customer purchases. Fingerprint or facial recognition technology can be used in hotel to unlock rooms, check-in and check-out purposes. “The rise of the digital community signifies that competition is rife. Customers are now demanding more personalized options to meet their discrete requirements. Hotels, therefore, need to leverage the resources and systems at their disposal if they wish to retain loyal clients. Technology in hospitality sector is here to play a significant role and its presence is bound to increase in future. Hospitality industry must showcase the amenities digitally which people can access at home and even aim to exceed those expectations. It’s all about customizing the services to meet the aspirations and demands of customers. Technology enables hotels to meet guest demands and preferences with a click of button. Hotel technology also helps businesses focus on strategy saving valuable time and resources on routine everyday tasks” Robotics Robotics and robots are revolutionizing hospitality industry to carry out tasks traditionally performed by…

Himanshu Gautam, Technical Director – West & South India, Radware The BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) sector has seen rapid adoption of digital transformation tools, which has made the sector vulnerable to intense, evolving and repeated cybersecurity attacks from threat actors. CERTIn’s report said that just in the 1st half of 2022 the number of ransomware attacks rose by 51% when compared to 2021. India has been one of the leading countries in going digital with the BFSI sector taking the lead. But this means the vertical should protect the data associated with its customers as trust is the No. 1 factor that needs to be considered. The BFSI sector handles sensitive and confidential information of its customers such as financial transactions, personal details, and credit scores. Therefore, ensuring data security is crucial to maintain customer trust and protecting them from potential threats. But why is data security of utmost importance for the BFSI sector? BFSI institutions hold valuable data, making them a prime target for cybercriminals. Data breaches can lead to identity theft, financial fraud and reputational damage. This is why they must comply with various regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Non-compliance can result in hefty fines and legal actions. If this is not met and cyberattacks are countered then they compromise financial assets, leading to monetary losses for both the institution and its customers. The BFSI sector is highly competitive and maintaining data security can be a competitive advantage. Customers are more likely to trust institutions that prioritize data security. Data breaches can erode customer trust, leading to reputational damage and loss of business. To stay immune to the threats, its necessary to know some common security threats: Phishing attacks. Ransomware attacks. Insider threats. DDoS attacks. Social engineering attacks. Third-party risks. To fight these cyberattack methods the individual players in the sector need to take the necessary measures. By following these measures, the BFSI sector can secure its data and protect against cyber threats. It is important to stay vigilant and proactive in order to ensure the safety and security of sensitive financial data. Implement strong access controls: Limit access to sensitive data only to those who need it. Use multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and other security protocols to ensure that only authorized personnel can access data. Encrypt data: Use encryption to protect data both in transit and at rest. This will make it more difficult for cybercriminals to steal data if they manage to gain access. Monitor and detect: Monitor the network and systems for suspicious activity and detect potential threats early to prevent data breaches. Implement intrusion detection and prevention systems to identify and block unauthorized access. Implement cybersecurity policies and procedures: Develop and implement cybersecurity policies and procedures to ensure that all employees understand their roles and responsibilities in maintaining data security. Regularly test and update systems: Regularly test and update systems to ensure that they are secure and up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Conduct employee training and awareness programs: Conduct regular training and awareness programs to educate employees on how to identify and prevent cybersecurity threats. Have a disaster recovery plan: Develop a disaster recovery plan that includes a backup and recovery strategy in case of a data breach or other security incident. Failure to comply with data security can lead to severe consequences for the BFSI sector. Legal penalties are levied when BFSI organizations fail to comply with data security regulations. These penalties can be significant and may result in monetary losses for the organization. They suffer from a loss of reputation. Legal penalties can result in financial losses for BFSI organizations. Apart from legal fees, losses can arise from regulatory fines, customer compensation and reputational damage. Data breaches and security incidents can damage the reputation of BFSI organizations, eroding customer trust and confidence. A tarnished reputation can lead to reduced business opportunities and revenue losses. Security incidents can disrupt the operations of BFSI organizations, causing significant downtime and loss of productivity. This can lead to delays in customer service, impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Also, non-compliance with data security can increase the vulnerability of BFSI organizations to cyberattacks. This can lead to data breaches and other security incidents, resulting in the consequences outlined above. These aspects of data and security in the BFSI sector prove that trust is an exceptional factor for customers. Overall, compliance with data security regulations is essential for the BFSI sector to protect sensitive customer data, maintain trust and confidence, and avoid the severe consequences of non-compliance. Radware® is a global company in cyber security and application delivery solutions for physical, cloud, and software-defined data centers. Its award-winning solutions portfolio secures the digital experience by providing infrastructure, application, and corporate IT protection, and availability services to enterprises globally. Radware’s solutions empower enterprise and carrier customers worldwide to adapt to market challenges quickly, maintain business continuity, and achieve maximum productivity while keeping costs down.  

Visionbot™ – the pioneer in Cloud AI to launch its appliance for EDGE AI The Importance of Automated Visual Monitoring with Edge AI and Cloud Reporting for Enterprise Analysis Prakash Prabhu – Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder, VisionBot VisionBot was incorporated with a focus to address the demand for Video driven Digital Enterprise. VisionBot AI enabled Computer Vision helps analyse & augment performance of workflow processes and enables improvement of overall Operational efficiency of an Enterprise. Generative AI will be the adopted tool for generating adaptive video content to boost engagement and drive collaboration across enterprises and social interactions. The reality of Video becoming the primary driver of the creator economy is inevitable and Visionbot™ intends to be in the forefront of the technology curve.Visionbot™ is one inclusive platform which encompasses Cloud Computer Vision, Subscription AI, Video Forensics, Cloud Storage and Streaming (Media/ Video Collaboration/ Digital content) and Generative AI for the creator economy. 1.1  What is Edge AI? Edge AI is the deployment of AI applications in devices throughout the physical world. It’s called ‘edge AI’ because the AI computation is done near the user at the edge of the network, close to where the data is located, rather than centrally in a cloud. Advances in edge AI have opened opportunities for machines and devices, wherever they may be, to operate with the ‘intelligence’ of human cognition. AI-enabled smart applications learn to perform similar tasks under different circumstances, much like real life. The efficacy of deploying AI models at the edge arises from three recent innovations. Maturation of neural computing: Neural networks and related AI infrastructure have finally developed to the point of allowing for generalized machine learning. Availability of no of trained datasets for computer vision. Advances in compute infrastructure: Powerful distributed computational power is required to run AI at the edge. VisionBot edge application can be on CPU, GPU or CPU+GPU. Adoption of IoT devices: The widespread adoption of the Internet of Everything has fuelled the explosion of big data. With the sudden ability to collect data in every aspect of a business – from industrial sensors, smart cameras, automation systems and more – we now have the data and devices necessary to deploy AI models at the edge. 1.2 Why deploy AI at the Edge? What are the benefits of Edge AI? Edge AI represents a paradigm shift in the way visual monitoring is implemented. It involves the deployment of AI algorithms and models directly on edge devices, such as cameras, sensors, or gateways, allowing data analysis to be performed locally without relying solely on cloud infrastructure. This local analysis brings several significant advantages. Since AI algorithms are capable of understanding video, sounds, and other sensor inputs which are forms of unstructured information. These AI applications would be challenging or even impossible to deploy in a centralized cloud or enterprise data center due to issues related to latency, bandwidth and privacy. 1.3 What are the benefits of Edge AI & Cloud Reporting? The benefits of edge AI include: Localized Intelligence: AI applications are more powerful and flexible than conventional applications. Real-time Insights: Since edge technology analyzes data locally rather than in a faraway cloud delayed by long-distance communications, it responds to users’ needs in real time. Reduced Cost: By bringing processing power closer to the edge, applications need less internet bandwidth, greatly reducing networking costs. Increased Privacy: Edge AI further enhances privacy by containing that data locally, uploading only the analysis and insights to the cloud. Even if some of the data is uploaded for training purposes, it can be anonymized to protect user identities. By preserving privacy, edge AI simplifies the challenges associated with data regulatory compliance. High Availability: Decentralization and offline capabilities make edge AI more robust since internet access is not required for processing data. This results in higher availability and reliability for mission-critical, production-grade AI applications. Persistent Improvement: AI models grow increasingly accurate as they train on more data. When an edge AI application confronts data that it cannot accurately or confidently process, it typically uploads it so that the AI can retrain and learn from it. Reduced Latency: By processing visual data at the edge, near the source of its generation, edge AI minimizes latency, ensuring real-time insights and prompt action. This is particularly critical for time-sensitive applications, such as security monitoring, where immediate responses are crucial to prevent potential risks or threats. Bandwidth Optimization: Transmitting large volumes of visual data to the cloud for analysis can strain network bandwidth and result in increased costs. Edge AI reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted by performing initial analysis locally and sending only relevant information to the cloud. This optimization of bandwidth allows for cost-effective and efficient data transmission. Cloud Reporting for Enterprise Access: While local analysis provides immediate insights and enables real-time decision-making, cloud reporting complements edge AI by providing comprehensive and centralized access to visual monitoring data. Centralized Data Management: Cloud reporting allows enterprises to store, manage, and analyze visual monitoring data from multiple edge devices in a centralized manner. This centralized approach facilitates holistic analysis, cross-device comparisons, and long-term. Scalability and Flexibility: Cloud-based platforms provide the scalability required to accommodate growing datasets and increasing demand for visual monitoring. Enterprises can easily expand their infrastructure and adapt to evolving needs without the limitations of on-premises solutions. Cloud reporting also enables remote access, empowering stakeholders to monitor operations and make informed decisions from anywhere at any time. Advanced Analytics and AI: Cloud reporting platforms often integrate advanced analytics and AI capabilities, enabling enterprises to leverage powerful algorithms and models for deeper insights and predictive analytics. By combining local edge AI analysis with cloud-based AI, organizations can unlock the full potential of visual monitoring, identifying patterns, anomalies, and optimizing processes with a higher degree of accuracy.   Real-World Applications and Benefits: Manufacturing: Edge AI allows real-time monitoring of production lines, detecting faults or anomalies immediately, reducing downtime, and enhancing overall productivity. Retail: Visual monitoring combined with edge AI…

While 78% of organizations believe they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ prepared to mitigate an attack, 50% still fell victim to ransomware last year Vishak Raman Vice President of Sales, India SAARC and Southeast Asia at Fortinet Executive summary Fortinet recently surveyed 569 cybersecurity leaders and decision-makers from organizations of all sizes and industries around the globe to understand their perspectives on ransomware, how it has impacted their organizations, and what strategies they have in place to mitigate a potential attack. In this year’s survey, more than 80% of respondents say they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ concerned about the threat of ransomware, yet a similar number (78%) of organizations surveyed also believe they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ prepared to thwart a breach. Despite those concerns and feelings of preparedness, half of the organizations surveyed still fell victim to ransomware last year. Of the organizations that experienced a ransomware incident, 71% said they paid at least a portion of the demanded ransom, even though 72% indicated they detected the incident within hours (often within minutes). And while nearly all respondents had cyber insurance, this didn’t guarantee that all costs would be covered, or data restored. In fact, only 35% of those affected by ransomware recovered all their data after the incident. It’s not all bad news, though. In fact, despite economic uncertainty, nearly all leaders surveyed (91%) expect increased security budgets in the coming year to invest in technologies and services that further safeguard their networks from a potential ransomware attack. In general, security leaders’ top priority is to implement advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) that enable faster threat detection, followed by central monitoring to speed response. And specifically, Internet-of-Things (IoT) security and next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) topped the list of areas and products that leaders planned to invest in, with the greatest increase in plans to implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) and secure email gateway (SEG) solutions. This is a promising plan, as phishing emails were the number one method respondents reported ransomware actors used to gain entry. And of course, the endpoint is the ultimate destination of ransomware. “Though three out of four organizations detected ransomware attacks early, half still fell victim to them. These results demonstrate the urgency to move beyond simple detection to realtime response. However, this is only part of the solution as organizations cited the top challenges in preventing attacks were related to their people and processes. A holistic approach to cybersecurity that goes beyond investing in essential technologies and prioritizes training is essential” Interestingly, while many security leaders have traditionally believed that buying the best individual product for a project will yield the strongest cybersecurity posture, this year’s survey data indicates that those organizations that reported taking a point product approach were the most likely to become a victim of ransomware. However, technology is only part of the solution. The survey found that four out of the top five challenges in preventing ransomware were related to people and processes. As ransomware proliferates and attacker methods grow in sophistication, organizations of all shapes and sizes are a target, making it crucial that security leaders invest in the right technologies, people, and processes now to prevent a ransomware incident in the future. The Growing sophistication of ransomware makes every organization a target While ransomware has existed for decades, the global threat remains at peak levels. It also continues to become more sophisticated, causing increasing harm to organizations worldwide. According to observations from the FortiGuard Labs Incident Response (IR) team, financially motivated cybercrime accounted for the highest volume of incidents (74%) in 2022, with 82% of financially motivated cybercrimes involving the deployment of ransomware or malicious scripts. While year-over-year ransomware growth has slowed in 2022 – following the explosion of this attack method in 2021 – the frequency of it is still increasing. For example, in the first half of 2022, FortiGuard Labs observed the introduction of 10,666 new variants – that’s double the number seen in the six months prior.2 The likely reason for the change is that Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operations are maturing, enabling cybercriminals to successfully introduce new, more sophisticated, and aggressive variants than ever before. And they are also being more selective, specifically targeting organizations able to provide a large payout. In contrast to the early success of RaaS, which initially relied on volume – more affiliates meant more opportunities to infiltrate networks and launch attacks – RaaS operators are increasingly becoming more selective regarding the associates they allow to join their operations. This more systematic approach to executing ransomware attacks is yielding greater success. For starters, they’re spending more time conducting reconnaissance to identify lucrative targets, meaning that many ransom demands now reach well into the tens of millions of dollars. Additionally, the ransoms these groups are demanding from their targets now tend to be commensurate with the organization’s size and industry. Many cybercriminal organizations use a formula to determine what amount to ask for so that a victim is more likely to pay. This growing maturity of ransomware operations is to be expected, given that RaaS is a significant driver of Crime-asa-Service (CaaS). Yet, as RaaS operators become more aggressive with their playbooks and incorporate increasingly destructive elements into attacks – such as the growing use of wipers – organizations of all shapes and sizes must implement appropriate security strategies to mitigate potential breaches. Ransomware attacks are common and costly Given the evolution and growing sophistication of ransomware operations, it’s not surprising that 84% of organizations represented in this year’s survey remain ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ concerned about this threat, which is even higher than the 76% of respondents that expressed the same level of worry when surveyed in 2021. However, despite these concerns, 78% also believe they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ prepared to prevent or mitigate a ransomware attack (up significantly from the 63% who felt that way in the prior survey). In fact, more than 90% of those surveyed said that having a ransomware strategy…

Colonel B. S. Nagial (Retd.) Narcotic trafficking, which started as an organised cross-border crime, has become a severe security threat for many countries worldwide due to its illicit relations with Terrorist organisations. The Golden Crescent is a major producer of opium. Opium farming in Afghanistan augmented by 32% over the previous year to 233,000 hectares, thus rendering the 2022 crop the third largest area under the ambit of opium farming since monitoring began. Opium prices have increased, resulting in the announcement of the cultivation ban in April 2022. Pakistan is the transport hub, with drug networks operating from the country using its drug routes to reach international markets. It is a serious threat to India because these drugs are the primary source for funding Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in this country. India is the only legitimate supplier of opium to the international pharmaceutical industry. The Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier’s economy depends on the production of poppy and cannabis. The drug money is being floated unorganised but systematically into the Indian money market, thereby detrimental to financial institutions. Consequently, the illicit drug trafficking from Afghanistan and Pakistan threatens India’s polity and economy. This demands serious consideration from policymakers and law enforcement agencies before it gets too late for action. Narco-terrorism denotes the connexion between narcotics and terrorism. As the roots of terrorism in India are generally beyond its borders, therefore it is imperative to look into the growing illicit narcotics trade in Pakistan, which funds terrorist activities conducted in India. Afghanistan and the NWFP of Pakistan are the principal manufacturers of opium worldwide, which encompasses enormous sums of money in the worldwide market. The Pakistani government and non-government organisations utilise the drug earnings to strike at the very foundations of India. Funding terrorism is a costly affair. Money required for terrorist activities does not come through legal sources. It is channelised through illegal and unofficial means. Narcotic drugs are more expensive than other consumer products in the world market. It realises colossal amounts of money, and that too in hard cash. The term narco-terrorism was first referred to in the US when drug contrabandists in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua and other Central American countries controlled the illegal trade as a profession and ran a corresponding government. The organised crime network’s linkages with terrorism threaten India’s National Security because India’s proximity to the Golden Triangle makes her susceptible to the operation of narcotics and drug production. Recently, it has been observed that those who promote terrorism in India from across the border are using the proceeds of such drug sales to finance terror activities. Drones are being used for drug trafficking from across the border. Punjab has become a significant problem; many drugs enter the Attari border. The money generated through them finds its way into Kashmir for funding terrorism. There have been many seizures off the coast of Gujarat, and several arms and drug consignments have been seized in the island territory of Lakshwadeep. There seems to be an emerging nexus between the Afghanistan-Pakistan. The seriousness of this problem is so severe that it affects the maritime environment and threatens India’s coastal security and drug abuse, a social problem that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed in his Mann ki Baat. A large number of the youth in India are into drug abuse. AIIMS, Delhi had, conducted a detailed survey in 2019 concerning drug abuse in the country. The study’s results revealed the extent of the problem in India, where 31 million users of cannabis, 23 million users of opioids and 11.9 million users of pharmaceutical sedatives are addicts. 2.06% of the population is affected, the average of which is far greater than in Asia and the world. It has adversely affected the State of Punjab, J&K and the Northeast Region of India. It is a lucrative trade for drug traffickers but a death knell for society. An addict requires a 0.5-milligram dose per day, that is, 360 metric tons of opioids per year, for all the addicts in India, which is one metric ton per day. They cost 2-3 crores per kilogram, which is Rs. 1,45,000 crore of business annually. Against which the seizure was only 2.4 metric tons of heroin in 2019 which is hardly 7% of the whole. After the NCB and state police forces were sensitised to the results of this survey, seizures went up to 7.1 metric tons in 2021, which is 19.7%. It is only the tip of the iceberg, and much work towards enforcement is required urgently. Drug trafficking is a borderless crime, and its extent makes it very difficult to control. There is also a new trend of using drones to drop off drugs across borders. The drug lords of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran work together to push heroin through the Arabian Sea. Acetic Anhydride manufactured in India is shipped illegally to Pakistan and Iran and used to make heroin. After the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir and the subsequent strengthening of security along the border, it became tough for the drug traffickers in the northwest to smuggle drugs across the border, so they shifted to the maritime route. For the last four years, the NCB has worked closely with the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, whose coordination with the Coast Guards of Sri Lanka and Maldives resulted in many seizures at sea. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) supports the drug lords in Pakistan, and the money generated through their activities is being used to fund terrorist activities in India. The Haji Saleem network uses terrorists in India to carry out their activities. Eight Indian assets of their network have been identified in a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigation whose links go back to the ISI and other contacts in Sri Lanka and Australia. The Kasargod network is another example worth mentioning. It is a vast network with contacts in Sri Lanka, Gulf and Pakistan. They traditionally produced Ganja and sold it in the rest of India and Sri Lanka. Gradually they moved into operating with…