“Cyber security is much more than a matter of IT” – Stephane Nappo
October is considered as Cyber Security Awareness month. To throw light on this paramount aspect of the digital age, Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology (SCIT) honors CSAM every year in association with ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association). Team Matrix which comprises of cybersecurity enthusiasts, organized their flagship CSAM event for the year 2022. Cybersecurity has become very important in our digital lives keeping in mind the amount of technology we are consuming nowadays, to bring attention towards it and to spread awareness for people to stay secure online on a global level.
The theme for this year, as revealed by an invigorating video clip, was Cyber GPS: Lets Navigate Internet Together. Dr Dhanya Pramod, Director of SCIT, inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp along with the keynote speaker Mrs Alisha Sharma and welcomed everyone to the event to kickstart the event on a propitious note. She highlighted the importance of cybersecurity and congratulated Team Matrix for organizing the event. She also touched upon how SCIT has always followed technology and remains industry connected. The keynote speaker, Mrs Alisha Sharma, Engineering Manager, Compliance &
Policy at John Deere, then shared her views on the topic – “Integrating AI with Cybersecurity”. She started by emphasizing on the growth of AI in the industry and whether AI is dangerous or not. She mentioned the exceptional sides of AI and how AI can be utilized in phishing and spam detection due to its high computational power. She also talked about how AI combined with ML, can keep a check on file behavior and to detect any malware. She then spoke of the antagonistic sides of AI and how it could be weaponized. She also touched upon the recent unfortunate incidents where there have been accidents of self-driving cars powered by AI. She concluded with the statement that AI is not a cybersecurity
silver spoon and will never replace humans.
Then it was time for the most exciting event of the CSAM- the panel discussion. Some of the esteemed industry experts in the field of cyber security graced the panel with their presence. It consisted of Mr Shivakant Pandey, Director, Technical Support at Dhruva Data Solutions Private Limited, and his colleague Mr Ravi Verma, Director, Technical Support at Dhruva Data Solutions Private Limited, Ms Shivani Sharma, Founder at KLEAP Technologies Limited, and Mr Vashistha Chawda, AVP Operations & Strategist at Marble Sokrati. Mr Akashdeep Singh Makkar, Oracle CX Manager, PWC and alumni of SCIT, was the moderator for the panel discussion.
The panel discussion theme was “Defining the Convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity”.
The discussion started with the various security aspects in our life and how they have become indispensable in our daily life. All the panelists agreed on the significance of data in the industry and how crucial it is to protect it. Mr Shivakant Pandey talked about the classification of data and the strategy to provide protection for the same. He explained how Dhruva guarantees data protection by making provision for backup and recovery services and pays money in a situation where data could be lost. He also mentioned how developers usually ignore security while application development and the problems it causes for the user. He touched upon the current state of cybersecurity in India and was elated by the new Government policies like CERTIN.
Ms Shivani Sharma, an entrepreneur, expressed the need for entrepreneurs in Cybersecurity. She said that the latest concept of Metaverse is decentralized, it’s not possible to control identity theft, which is why humans are the first line of defense against cyber-crimes. She highlighted the need for cybersecurity training and said people should avoid being tracked by applications like Uber, Ola and others. Security should be integrated into the initial stages of SDLC. She concluded with the quote- With great power comes great responsibility.
Mr Vashistha Chawda, an expert in marketing, revealed that companies use a lot of your data for marketing. He said that Facebook AI could obtain a lot of consumer data using email IDs and phone numbers. He noted that brands use the impulsive nature of the consumer and try to hack the human mind. He emphasized the need for ‘digital detoxification and healthy digital habits. Mr Ravi Verma raised his concern about the increasing number of ransomware attacks after the pandemic. He said that OTT platforms like Netflix store our preferences to provide distributed leisure, and these preferences if
stolen, could become a threat. He said that the new technologies like Metaverse, Web 3.0, cryptocurrency, cloud computing and NFTs should have security as their priority. He also explained how phishing could trap people who are not digitally smart. He suggested that security comes with a conscious mindset and that we should do everything with a conscious mindset.
The experts then answered the questions asked by students. The panel discussion concluded with the director madam giving the guests a token of appreciation.
Team Matrix had very exciting events planned for the rest of the day. Massive participation was seen in the following events:
1) Cyber Hunt:
Cyber Hunt was similar to a treasure hunt but with a twist of cybersecurity. In this event,
five teams were initially asked to explore the entire campus with a clue to find a solution,
and the team that returned to the initial point first proceeded to the next round. The top 3
teams reached the final round and competed in the final round to win the competition.
2) Swat Hats:
Inspired by the game that took over the internet a few years back, Among Us, this event had
participants sat in a circle with each person assigned to the role of black hats(threat source),
white hats (cops), CIS(doctor), and general people. The moderator conducted a role play
where the black hats tried to harm anybody they saw fit, the white had to catch the black
hats, and the neutral hats had the chance to save a person about to be eliminated. For the
black hats to win, they needed to eliminate everyone else, while for the others to win, they
needed to recognize the black hats.
3) Cyber Quixx:
This game was based on the ” Snake and Ladder” concept, where teams of 4 students
participated. A dice was rolled, and the team who got 1 first started the game. In this way,
the game continued. If a team reached a snake or a ladder, they needed to answer a
cybersecurity question. The progress of the teams depended on their answers. The first
team to reach the end was declared the winner.
4) Know Your Threats:
This was a cybersecurity quiz-based event. It consisted of three rounds: the crossword
puzzle round, buzzer round and MCQ quiz round. All rounds were eliminating, and the
winner was decided based on scores in the last round.
Students actively participated in the CSAM 2022 with high zeal and exuberance. They also enjoyed various food stalls and several dishes arranged by the organizers. This event made everyone contemplate the measures they take for their data’s online security and the need to re-evaluate their digital habits in order to keep their data confidential and intact.
