CHENNAI: Cybersecurity firm 'K7 Computing' plans to provide security services to large enterprises by providing an expert team to monitor and respond in times of trouble or a cyber attack. The company has launched the service on a pilot basis where it provides customized security and checks for vulnerabilities, apart from providing software products.
"Companies lack security experts and they cannot stop cyber attacks despite using the best products, so we're trying to roll out this service on a large scale," J Kesavardhan, founder and president of K7 Computing told The New Indian Express. "The thin line between the product and the service is disappearing," he added.
Large corporations are adopting Security Operations Center or SOC, the standard security protocol, due to the regulatory framework, but even they could not escape from threats due to lack of expertise, he said. “This is a next-generation endpoint protection for enterprises. We’re training professionals with a specific focus on malware protection and looking to create manpower to cater in scale,” he added.
He also said that there will be a significant demand for cyber security experts worldwide.
A demand-supply study from tech body National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM)- Draup reports a cybersecurity talent deficit of more than 30,000 professionals or 29 per cent of the talent pool in India for 2021. The demand-supply gap for digital tech talent, which includes cybersecurity, is expected to reach 1.4 to 1.8 million by 2026.
The company plans to train professionals for the service in-house with K7 Academy. Its malware analysis course witnessed an influx of students from India as well as abroad, as it is cheaper compared to its western counterparts.
K7 recently introduced Multi-layered Artificial intelligence Technology (MAT) which improves protection based on behavioural scanning to keep end users safe from the most prevalent threats. Kesavardhan said the company is developing a security platform for the Internet of Things (IoT) as automation and connected devices usage is increasing. “It will be one of the important areas in the coming age as billions of endpoints are going to be connected in that,” he said.
Referring to increased cyber attacks and work-from-home scenarios post-pandemic, he said the demand for cybersecurity has increased, with Union and State Governments, healthcare and manufacturing sectors leading the demand growth. He noted there is a huge untapped potential in the Indian market as India adopted digital infrastructure without securing it.
The Chennai-based company with 25 million active users, with an annual growth rate of 40 per cent, eyes expansion into the US, European and Middle East markets and growing further in India and Japan. Kesavardhan predicted that cybersecurity demands for mobile phones will spike after the rollout of 5G services.