Kolkata, July 2025 – Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, has successfully concluded the Kolkata segment of its World Tour in India. The event drew over 90 attendees from 45 organisations, marking a significant milestone in a tour that spans four Indian cities. This year’s theme, “Proactive Security Starts Here,” highlighted the urgent need to move from reactive defenses to forward-looking, AI-driven security strategies.
In her keynote, Sharda Tickoo, Country Manager for India & SAARC at Trend Micro, highlighted the growing use of AI by attackers to accelerate cyberattacks, shrinking exploit timelines from weeks to hours. However, she noted that defensive AI is advancing faster, enabling real-time detection, automated response, and proactive threat mitigation. She introduced Agentic AI as a game-changer, where intelligent agents collaborate to deliver unified, pre-emptive protection. At the core is Trend Micro’s AI-powered platform, Trend Vision One™, integrated with industry’s first cybersecurity LLM, Trend Cybertron, offering predictive analytics, risk scoring, and automated remediation. While AI is transforming SOC operations, she emphasized that human oversight remains essential.
The panel discussion titled “Proactive Security: The Next Big Shift” brought together Dr. R. N. Patra, General Manager (E&T)/HoD, Coal India Ltd.; Rakesh Ojha, Deputy General Manager, SAIL; and Dinesh Kumar Shrimali, CISO & DPO, Tata Steel, to share insights on embedding proactive security into organizational strategy. Dr. Patra emphasized layered security, beginning with physical controls and user awareness, and called for integrating compliance at the design stage—especially in converging IT-OT environments. Mr. Shrimali highlighted that in complex environments, vulnerability prioritization must be risk-driven, considering both business impact and resource constraints. He noted the need to invest in advanced threat intelligence and skilled personnel to operationalize proactive defense. Mr. Ojha underscored the value of quantifying cyber risk using frameworks like the Cyber Risk Index (CRI), which enables clear alignment of security investments with business priorities.
All panelists agreed that cyber risk management should be continuous, not periodic, and that automation and real-time visibility are essential. On AI, they noted its dual role as a security enhancer and a threat, stressing the need for governance frameworks like ISO 42001 to manage AI responsibly. Security consolidation across IT and OT was seen as critical, with a unified view enabling faster response and better control. The discussion concluded with a shared belief: proactive security is not just a technology issue but a cultural shift that requires awareness, integration, and continuous commitment across all levels of the organization.
The Eastern India market is steadily emerging as a mature hub for technology and cybersecurity adoption. With Trend Micro’s 15-year presence in the region, there is a noticeable shift towards unified platform-based solutions and Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS). This growing demand reflects a deeper understanding of integrated security needs and a strategic move by organizations to strengthen their cyber defense posture in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
According to a recent Trend Micro report, India ranks 3rd globally and 2nd in Asia for malware detections, contributing to 4.74% of global activity with 19.3 million threats identified. The Banking, Financial Services, and Government sectors were among the most affected, underscoring the persistent targeting of critical infrastructure by cyber adversaries. In light of the growing sophistication of these threats, Trend Micro is bringing its Trend World Tour to four cities across India this year, aiming to equip organizations with advanced cybersecurity strategies and strengthen collaborative defense efforts. The next leg of the tour is set to take place on 18th July 2025 in Bengaluru.
