The escalating frequency and sophistication of cyber incidents in India underscore the pressing need for a robust cybersecurity landscape in the country. Over the years, India has witnessed a dramatic surge in cyberattacks, affecting not only government entities but also businesses and individuals. These incidents encompass a wide array of threats, from data breaches and financial fraud to ransomware attacks, which can have severe consequences. Organizations must deploy robust cybersecurity solutions in order to prevent any kind of cyber threats. Kaspersky is one of the leader in cybersecurity industry, providing cutting-edge solutions across verticals. Rajeev Ranjan, Editor, DT recently held an exclusive interaction with Jaydeep Singh, GM-SA, Kaspersky to know about the evolving threat landscape, new technologies, their strategies and etc.
Rajeev: How do you see the adoption of Generative AI in the enterprise and SMB segments?
Jaydeep: In the realm of cybersecurity resilience, many SMB companies often lack specialized manpower, and even if they have the intention, they may not possess the resources to deploy advanced technologies. Larger enterprises, on the other hand, are increasingly adopting SaaS applications, leading to a broader threat landscape with more touchpoints. The constructive use of AI is crucial in addressing these challenges.
In our solutions, we leverage AI extensively. For instance, in our threat intelligence information gathering process, we employ a three-pronged approach. Our Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) researchers monitor approximately 450 APT groups globally daily, while we analyze up to 400,000 ransomware samples every day.
AI plays a significant role in our analysis through the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) platform, particularly in evaluating ransomware threats that warrant closer scrutiny. Despite the emergence of platforms like ChatGPT and others, the human element remains paramount in utilizing these tools effectively. The impact of AI tools, whether constructive or destructive, ultimately depends on the individuals employing them. Thus, the human element continues to reign supreme in the realm of AI platforms.
Rajeev: What are the top challenges for CTOs, CIOs, and CISOs?
Jaydeep: CIOs and CTOs grapple with three pivotal challenges in the evolving landscape of cybersecurity. Firstly, the intensification of cyber attacks within industrial infrastructure, specifically in IoT systems, requires a paradigm shift. While traditional CISO roles may not cover these aspects, the threat landscape expanding into IoT necessitates the establishment of cross-functional teams between plant GMs and CISO organizations. Secondly, the widespread adoption of SaaS applications poses a risk to organizational control over data usage.
CISOs must carefully navigate the selection of SaaS applications, implement robust processes, and prioritize employee training to retain oversight. Lastly, there is a pressing need to articulate the significance of cyber resiliency and threats to the company board. Securing funding proves challenging, often due to the limited influence CISOs wield in boardrooms. To address this, future solutions may involve the representation of CISOs on company boards, bridging the communication gap and ensuring strategic alignment between cybersecurity priorities and board-level decision-making.
Rajeev: Which are the top three verticals where you see the highest demand of Kaspersky’s solutions?
Jaydeep: In the realm of cybersecurity, Kaspersky has emerged as a formidable force, making significant strides in industrial cybersecurity. KICS platform offers robust protection for the Operational Technology (OT) environment, uniquely safeguarding both the node and network sides of infrastructure for industrial organizations. This innovation enables seamless integration into the IT dashboard, creating a unified platform for companies to manage their entire infrastructure, bridging the gap between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT). Notably, Kaspersky's engagement with companies in the South Asia region has resulted in successful deployments, showcasing a rising interest in this cutting-edge technology.
Another key area of focus lies in threat intelligence feeds, drawing from global sources. Kaspersky's extensive data analysis over the past 27 years forms a crucial portfolio, encompassing threat intelligence feeds, digital footprint intelligence, takedown services, and incident response services. Noteworthy is the growing interest from organizations in incident response services, where Kaspersky stands out as a leader. The company's investments in people, researchers, and the development of legacy BigQuery underscore their commitment to overcoming previous restrictions and advancing in these pivotal areas of cybersecurity.
Rajeev: How do you see the relation between your sales team and the partners?
Jaydeep: Our business is entirely channel-driven, fostering collaborations with channel partners and large SIs across all our solutions. While providing professional services from Kaspersky for critical deployments, we prioritize empowering our partners to deliver most services. This approach involves Partner Managers working closely with key partners nationwide, supported by dedicated pre-sales teams. Specialized bootcamps, focusing on technologies of interest, have been a successful training avenue, with recent sessions covering over 150 partners across diverse cities. The engagements with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and strong traction with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) underscore Kaspersky's impact in the market. Our strategic partnerships with larger SI partners have resulted in Kaspersky being integrated into substantial deployments, particularly in significant government infrastructure projects, including IoT initiatives and smart city projects, yielding notable success.
Rajeev: How do you take care of the partner profitability?
Jaydeep: We work on a two tier model; we extend the prices to our distributors. We ensure that the partners are enabled for delivering services to our customers which might improve the margin. It improves the service delivery for the customers. And when customer satisfaction is high, they would end up making good money there. I firmly believe that market prices are industry-driven, maintaining a fair and competitive pricing landscape for all.
