Dark Web Monitoring and Open Intelligence are Crucial for Indian Cybersecurity, According to an Expert
In a rapidly digitalizing India, cybersecurity has become a critical concern as both individuals and corporate firms fall victim to increasingly sophisticated cybercrime. According to data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Indians lost a staggering Rs 22,845.73 crore to cybercriminals in 2024, marking a 206% increase from the Rs 7,465.18 crore lost in 2023.
However, integrating real-time data and AI in cybersecurity can significantly minimize these threats. These technologies enable faster detection, prevention, and response to evolving attacks. AI-driven systems use real-time monitoring to detect highly sophisticated threats like phishing, ransomware, deepfakes, and identity fraud, which have surged in India.
For instance, AI tools have been instrumental in detecting 11.46 million malware incidents and 1.78 million ransomware attacks reported in Karnataka alone in 2024. AI algorithms analyze patterns across these incidents, spotting suspicious activity early to mitigate damage.
One example of AI tools supporting this is AI-powered phishing detection, which is deployed in 80% of phishing campaigns. AI-based filters and detection systems help block or flag these in real-time to protect users. Another example is the augmentation of digital identity wallets, such as DigiLocker, which use AI to secure digital identities against AI-generated fake documents and face-swap deepfake attacks.
Google’s Big Sleep AI agent is an international example of next-generation threat detection. This AI tool proactively discovers software vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them, finding multiple real-world vulnerabilities, including one critical flaw unknown except to threat actors, allowing preventive action to secure platforms. Similar AI agents can be adopted by Indian cybersecurity defenses to preempt attacks.
AI-enhanced cybersecurity platforms also consume vast logs, audit trails, and global threat intelligence data contextualized to the organization’s environment, enabling rapid incident detection and tailored response.
However, challenges remain, such as delayed national cybersecurity policy updates and the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals trained to leverage these AI tools effectively. Ongoing initiatives to integrate AI with real-time data, coupled with investments in workforce capability, are vital to thwart AI-powered cybercrimes threatening India’s digital economy.
Promoting digital literacy, adopting robust security protocols, and encouraging timely reporting of incidents are essential steps towards building a safer cyber ecosystem in India. Nandhu S, Product Engineer at Falcon Feeds, believes AI can be a productivity multiplier in cybersecurity, helping organizations cut down iteration times and adapt products to user needs.
Falcon Feeds has launched its MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server in India, allowing enterprises and government agencies to access actionable threat intelligence through simple natural language interactions. Nandakishore Harikumar, Founder of Falcon Feeds, states that real-time data is crucial in cybersecurity, enabling instant detection, rapid response, and proactive threat prevention.
As India's economy faces significant losses due to cyber frauds, estimated to reach over Rs 1.2 lakh crore in the next year, the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures, public awareness, and capacity-building is emphasized. Experts suggest that besides growing awareness, the adoption of real-time tools can help minimize these losses, with data accessible using conversational AI interfaces, eliminating the need for complex manual queries.
- Nandhu S, a Product Engineer at Falcon Feeds, opines that artificial intelligence can be a productivity multiplier in cybersecurity, helping organizations reduce iteration times and customize products to users' needs.
- Real-time data is crucial in cybersecurity, as stated by Nandakishore Harikumar, Founder of Falcon Feeds, enabling instant detection, rapid response, and proactive threat prevention.
- To thwart AI-powered cybercrimes threatening India's digital economy, it's vital to integrate AI with real-time data, invest in workforce capability, and foster a culture of digital literacy and timely reporting of incidents.