DSCI, Lockheed Martin Launch Cyber Security Awareness Programme for SMBs
Bangalore. Lockheed Martin and the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) announced June 23 the launch of a new cybersecurity education programme for small and mid-size businesses to help them minimise risk from online threats.
DSCI promotes data protection among the Indian industry and is partnering with Lockheed Martin to heighten the cybersecurity awareness of businesses and their workforce. The endeavour will promote responsible online behaviour will provide guidance on designing secure IT systems and securely managing their online presence. The programme will spread discreetly across the country through a comprehensive and interactive cyber awareness portal to facilitate the journey of digital transformation of SMBs.
The initiative includes development of an interactive Cyber Security Awareness Web Portal with resources for businesses to safely and securely manage their digital presence. It is also intended to drive engagement within the SMB community through materials for businesses to train their workforce using computer based training modules, video messages and computer games about online safety.
The partnership also includes stakeholder engagement activities. Under the programme, DSCI will also forge alliances with relevant stakeholders including industry bodies, development centres, and technical education boards for reaching out to the target segments and ensuring impactful delivery of the programme. These stakeholders will promote the programme and key messages about online safety and security.
Dr Ajay Kumar, Additional Secretary, Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY) said, “I am glad that DSCI along with Lockheed Martin is launching a Cyber Security Awareness Programme for Small and Medium Businesses in the country. With nearly 50 million units with over 110 million employment, and contributing over one-third of the manufacturing output in the country, this sector has wide reach in large number of verticals. A programme for this sector can have huge impact on a significant part of business community in the country and a step towards realising the vision of Digital India. I wish the effort all success.”
“Digital technologies will play a key role in enhancing SMBs competitiveness and their growth agenda. As SMBs and their workforce embark on their digital journeys, they need to protect themselves against cyber attacks,” said Ms Rama Vedashree, CEO, DSCI. “We are pleased to partner with Lockheed Martin to build Cyber Security Awareness among the SMB workforce in India. This would contribute to two strategic programmes of the country namely Make in India and Digital India.
Phil Shaw, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India, stated: “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the Data Security Council of India given that the time is ripe for a national focused cyber awareness effort. Research indicates that only 23 per cent of organisations are capable of responding effectively to a cyber incident yet the impact of a cyber attack could be wide-ranging and costly. With the increasingly interconnected nature of our critical infrastructure and data, organisations must approach cybersecurity more proactively than ever before in order to safeguard assets and data.”
DSCI and Lockheed announced this partnership at their flagship event, Best Practices Meet 2016, held at Bengaluru June 23. The event was attended by over 300 professionals including policy makers, security experts, and decision makers from various verticals.
