THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Considering the surge in cybersecurity threats in recent times, the Kerala government has introduced advanced measures to strengthen the state's digital governance framework.
As thousands of "probes" targeting government sites daily, the state's proactive training model aims to ensure that flagship projects, such as the citizen-connect initiative Mukhyamanthri Ennodoppam (CM with Me), remain resilient against digital sabotage.
"Knowledge of cybersecurity is important as the government rolls out more digital initiatives. Officers are responsible for the safety of public data," said a senior official.
The urgency of these measures has been underscored by recent attacks.
In April 2024, the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram was crippled by a ransomware strike that disrupted radiation and diagnostic services. Hackers reportedly demanded USD 100 million in cryptocurrency to unlock the data. Health Minister Veena George later informed the Assembly that while eight desktops and four servers were infected, the core servers remained safe.
Similarly, in March 2024, hackers claimed to have breached the police citizen services platform Thuna, leaking sensitive data on the dark web after demanding ransom.
Such incidents highlight the growing sophistication of cyberattacks in the state.
According to CERT-In, India's national cyber response agency, over 29.44 lakh (2.9 million) cyber incidents were handled in 2025, including phishing, ransomware, and website defacement. In 2024 alone, at least 13 major government entities in the country were confirmed victims of significant data theft or ransomware, while thousands of minor probes occur daily.
To counter cybersecurity threats, the Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM) has intensified its SafeTech Campaign, training officers in areas such as Windows security analysis, router and switch configuration, virtualization, Kali Linux tools, and server hardening.
Beyond cybersecurity, KSITM is expanding its vision of digital governance through AI and IoT. It's flagship K-AI initiative fosters collaboration between departments, startups, and researchers to develop AI solutions for citizen services, healthcare, and administrative efficiency. IoT pilots are underway in traffic management, environmental monitoring, and public health, where smart sensors and connected devices provide real-time insights.
"These initiatives are not isolated projects but part of a comprehensive strategy to build a secure, intelligent, and citizen-centric digital ecosystem," the official added.