### Trend Micro Launches India Chapter for Proactive Cybersecurity Tour in Mumbai
Trend Micro, a leading global player in cybersecurity solutions, recently inaugurated the India chapter of its **Risk to Resilience World Tour 2025** in the bustling city of Mumbai. The event was attended by an impressive assembly of over **130 security leaders** from 70 enterprises and government organizations, all converging under the theme “**Proactive Security Starts Here.**” This initiative sought to emphasize the urgent need for a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive security strategies, igniting conversations about the integration of **AI-driven methodologies** in safeguarding digital assets.
### Sharda Tickoo: A Voice of Transformation
**Sharda Tickoo**, the Country Manager for India and SAARC at Trend Micro, shared a compelling insight during the event, highlighting the escalating risks posed by modern cyber threats. She noted that attackers increasingly leverage AI to not just automate but also accelerate cyberattacks, drastically shortening exploit timelines from weeks to mere hours. However, in a silver lining, Tickoo asserted that **defensive AI** is progressing more swiftly than offensive AI, allowing organizations to bolster real-time detection, automate responses, and effectively mitigate threats ahead of time.
Tickoo introduced a revolutionary concept known as **Agentic AI**, characterized by intelligent agents that work collaboratively to provide a unified and pre-emptive protection approach. Central to this innovative strategy is **Trend Vision One™**, a robust AI-powered platform integrated with a specialized cybersecurity Large Language Model (LLM), **TrendCybertron**. This powerful combination incorporates predictive analytics, risk scoring, and automated remediation across diverse environments. While she praised AI for transforming **Security Operations Center (SOC)** operations, she emphasized the indispensable role of human judgment in navigating these technological advancements.
### Panel Discussions: Insights from Industry Leaders
Another significant highlight was the panel discussion titled “**Proactive Security in the Age of AI**,” featuring notable experts like **Rajesh Thapar**, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at NSE, and **Abhijit Chakravarty**, Executive Vice President of Networks & Cybersecurity at Kotak Mahindra Bank. This dynamic exchange explored what proactive security truly means in practical terms.
Thapar emphasized that proactive security has evolved into a **strategic imperative**, requiring a cohesive alignment among various stakeholders and transcending mere tactical responses. On the other hand, Chakravarty illuminated the crucial aspect of visibility—insisting that understanding unmanaged assets and user activities is foundational to actionable intelligence.
### Evolving Methods of Vulnerability Prioritization
The conversation naturally transitioned toward the challenges of **vulnerability prioritization**. Thapar pointed out the shortcomings of traditional scoring methods, advocating for a contextual risk-based approach that redefines prioritization metrics. Chakravarty elaborated on the criticality-based methods and operational constraints, stressing the importance of framing risks in terms that resonate with business stakeholders. He introduced a framework dubbed **TRIC** (Threat, Risk, Impact, Consequence), which fosters better communication and understanding between security teams and business units.
Both industry experts noted the duality of AI, recognizing it as both an enabler and a potential threat. They concurred that while AI significantly enhances SOC capabilities, meticulous human oversight remains essential for ensuring effective and responsible security operations.
### A Regional Spotlight on Cybersecurity Adoption
In the Mumbai region, industries, particularly within **manufacturing** and the **Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)** sectors, are recognized for being at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge technologies and advanced security measures. The BFSI sector, with its strict compliance requirements, has been a driving force behind the growing interest in **hybrid security solutions** that adapt to evolving operational and regulatory landscapes.
### Journey Ahead: A Four-City Tour
The Mumbai event is just the beginning of a grand four-city tour across India, following the successful global launch of last year’s campaign, which reached over **60 countries**. The next stop in this ambitious journey is set for **June 20, 2025**, in Kolkata, further illustrating Trend Micro’s commitment to equipping organizations with the tools and insights necessary to navigate an increasingly complex cybersecurity terrain.