K7 integrates AI and ML to analyse and classify URLs as threats

K7 Endpoint Security, developed by K7 Computing Pvt Ltd, is an Indian enterprise antivirus and cybersecurity solution which provides cyberthreat prevention and removal and user/device/application-level cybersecurity management.

Sudarsan Ranganathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, K7 Computing Pvt Ltd, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: How has the pandemic changed the due course of the business, new products and technology advancements?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: The pandemic’s direct impact on the technology sector was the overnight transition to working (as well as shopping, learning, socialising, etc.), from home and its consequences. Employees who used to work in a secure environment within their organisation’s IT perimeter suddenly found themselves outside it, and threat actors were quick to exploit this opportunity.

Cyberthreats have increased by 500%. Other cyber risk, such as shadow IT (the use of unvetted applications and services), is also rising. This has in turn caused a shift towards cloud endpoint security which can be quickly rolled out across the organisation, managed from anywhere with just a web browser, and is easy to use without expert knowledge.

We expect this perspective change, from viewing employees as part of an office to regarding them as discrete satellite offices, to both accelerate the adoption of cloud endpoint security and change how cybersecurity itself is viewed by the C-suite, as boundaryless businesses need boundaryless cybersecurity.

DQ: How are you managing/looking at AI integration to check enterprise security checks?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: K7 integrates AI and ML, to analyse and classify URLs as threats. Malicious URLs present a significant threat to any enterprise that permits internet access for any employee, as just one click on a malicious URL can launch a cyberattack against the entire organisation. New malicious URLs are created every day, and K7’s ML-based Web Categorisation continuously evaluates URLs and flags malicious URLs.

DQ: How important will data privacy be in 2021, and ahead?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: Data privacy is already critical in 2020, and it will become even more important in 2021 and beyond. Every organisation now depends on data and the amount of data that is generated will increase as IoT integrates into organizations production and white-collar roles that necessitates a connected environment.

Many Indian organisations, especially in the IT/ITES sector, need to ensure compliance with international data privacy legislation such as the GDPR and HIPAA. India has also proposed the Personal Data Protection Act and stringent penalties for non-compliance could be imposed once the act is passed. Every business will need to ensure data privacy to prepare for compliance with data privacy legislation that may already apply to them or will apply to them.

DQ: Will remote working lead to more phishing attacks and threats to accounting and marketing departments?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: All functions and departments within the enterprise face an increase in cyberthreats due to remote working. This is because all remote working employees need to make use of the internet and many digital tools and services to collaborate and meet SLAs. This increases the attack surface and opens the door to cyberattacks.

DQ: Is data classification going to be sufficient?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: Data classification is necessary, but not sufficient to ensure data security. A comprehensive cybersecurity strategy is required, which includes examining how data is secured across the organisation, auditing and testing security measures to ascertain if they are adequate in practise, and ensuring a reliable data backup and restoration policy is implemented.

DQ: How will India meet the growing IT expert skills gap, going forward?

Sudarsan Ranganathan: NASSCOM/Zinnov estimate that India’s demand for digital talent (which includes cybersecurity) in 2024 will be 20X the available fresh talent pool. This talent deficit needs to be addressed through reskilling programmes for experienced professionals who would like to explore careers in new functions and industries, and through university-level skill development programmes for fresh graduates who are taking the first step in their careers.