Cybersecurity has become crucial across industries as digital processes increasingly dominate operations. In 2023, over 400 million cyber threats were detected across 8.5 million endpoints in India, according to the DSCI-SEQRITE India Cyber Threat Report.
However, finding skilled professionals remains challenging. The World Economic Forum estimates that the global talent shortage in cybersecurity could reach 85 million workers by 2030, potentially leading to US$8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenue.
Kyndryl is addressing this issue as it establishes a new Security Operations Center (SOC) in Bangalore. Saket Verma, Cybersecurity Practice Leader at Kyndryl India, told Digitimes Asia that training and cybersecurity are central to the company's values.
"The shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals has long been a challenge for organizations, and Kyndryl is committed to addressing this through targeted upskilling initiatives," Verma said. "Education and cybersecurity are central to our social impact efforts, exemplified by our local initiatives and partnerships with DSCI and CSC for the Cyber Sainik and Cyber Rakshak programs."
Kyndryl's initiatives include plans to provide cybersecurity awareness training to over 25,000 students and 100,000 women in rural India, aiming to contribute to a more secure and resilient digital future.
Verma noted that Kyndryl's operations in India are closely aligned with the country's national priorities. As Indian enterprises increasingly adopt a 'Digital First' approach in their business strategies, Kyndryl supports these efforts by providing access to top talent and solutions.
The company is focused on innovation within India and for global customers. In the new fiscal year, Kyndryl's business strategy will prioritize the execution of its 3-A initiatives—Alliances, Advanced Delivery, and Accounts—leveraging the capabilities of Kyndryl Bridge and Kyndryl Consult.
Setting up a SOC in Bangalore
Businesses are increasingly adopting new technologies at a rapid pace, but they are also aware of the substantial risks involved, such as cybersecurity threats, data privacy issues, and the potential for significant operational and financial disruptions.
"The SOC in Bangaluru is a 24/7 cyber defense hub, aided by Kyndryl's global network of cybersecurity experts, designed to offer cyber threat intelligence and timely incident response," Verma said. "Early in April, we inaugurated a state-of-the-art office in the Bangalore location. The office hosts the company's first global Kyndryl Customer Experience Center (CEC), a Network Operations Center (NOC), and a Kyndryl Vital Studio."
The SOC utilizes advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and integrated automation systems, to enhance the cyber threat lifecycle.
"It effectively functions like a hub that will observe, identify, prevent, and react immediately to perceived threats," Verma said. "The SOC also offers the Security Operations as a Platform (SOaap) capability, which integrates various cybersecurity functions into a single, cohesive digital platform."
The SOaap platform enables enhanced visibility, risk, and threat management across a customer's entire IT estate while also streamlining the coordination between IT Operations and Cybersecurity Operations.
Differentiating factors
Kyndryl's SOC capabilities encompass multi-level incident monitoring, malware labs, threat hunting, and security information and event management (SIEM) to monitor and correlate security events.
Verma stated that the SOC includes advanced cyber engineering that analyzes evolving indicators of compromise and incident impacts, providing customers with decisive insights. The SOC also helps ensure compliance with government data protection regulations and adapts to evolving cyber threats and regulatory requirements.
"Kyndryl provides a hybrid model that allows organizations to selectively outsource certain cyber security functions or fully outsource the end-to-end management of their cybersecurity operations to Kyndryl," Verma added. "The SOC will also be a center of excellence for cybersecurity management with specialized skills, certifications, and experience in cybersecurity platform management and technologies to support security events, operational management, and monitoring."
Plans to expand
Kyndryl has strategically deployed Security Operations Centers (SOCs) across Italy, Canada, Hungary, Spain, and most recently in India, with a satellite local SOC in Brazil.
Verma noted that the India SOC is not only a significant investment in the region but also a crucial component of Kyndryl's growth strategy in extending support to global markets.
"India is one of Kyndryl's top ten countries, and this new center reinforces our commitment to expanding our presence in the country," Verma added.
