Week in Review — India Struggles to be Cyber-Secure, Humanitarian Orgs Under Attack

June 14, 2025 by Robert Lemos Categories : Week in Review

Indian security leaders are struggling to modernize cybersecurity operations amid rapid AI adoption, an expanding attack surface, and a shortage of skilled professionals — leaving critical blind spots in threat detection. Meanwhile, compliance demands are stacking up too: the new 2025 Data Protection Rules require breach notifications within six hours and coordination across multiple regulators, adding layers of complexity. To respond, experts recommend strengthening core cyber hygiene (like MFA and patching), footing an AI‑powered SOC, and investing heavily in workforce reskilling to keep pace with evolving threats.

Cyberattacks targeting humanitarian, environmental, activist, and journalism organizations have surged dramatically — rising approximately 241% over the past year — with DDoS attacks the most prevalent tactic. These nonprofit and civil-society groups are especially vulnerable due to limited cybersecurity budgets and resources, with only around 15% having any dedicated cybersecurity expertise on staff. The report highlights that threats come from diverse actors—including state-backed operatives, ideologically driven hacktivists, and opportunistic cybercriminals—underscoring a pressing need for stronger defenses and targeted security support for these critical organizations.