Kochi: Kerala needs to bridge the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals as cyberattacks and digital fraud continue to pose growing risks to individuals, organisations and governments, said Manoj Abraham, 1994-batch DGP-rank IPS officer of the Kerala cadre and Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), at the Kerala Cyber Suraksha Summit 2026.
Speaking at the second edition of the summit in Kochi on September 5, Mr Abraham highlighted the scale of the global cybersecurity challenge and said stronger human resources were needed to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The summit was organised by F9 Infotech in association with the Government of Kerala and Kerala Startup Mission. It brought together policymakers, law-enforcement officials, cybersecurity professionals, technology leaders and industry representatives.
‘We Need More Defenders’
Abraham said cyberattacks could affect critical infrastructure and organisations without the use of conventional force.
“There is a 389 per cent rise in ransomware victims worldwide year-on-year, while reported financial losses due to cyber fraud in India alone stood at ₹19,813 crore in 2025. We are at a juncture where we need more defenders to take on cyber attackers. Worldwide, there are 4.8 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs,” he said.
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According to the DGP, Kerala has an advantage in addressing the skills shortage because of its existing pool of technology professionals and skilled talent.
Focus on Cybersecurity Skills and Awareness
The summit also highlighted the need to expand cybersecurity awareness and training beyond technology companies and specialised institutions.
Hibi Eden, MP, appreciated F9 Infotech’s initiative to provide cybersecurity training, awareness programmes and certification free of cost to government educational institutions across Kerala.
F9 Infotech founder Jayakumar Mohanachandran said cybersecurity should extend beyond corporate boardrooms and technology conferences.
“Over the last three years, more than ₹56,000 crore has been reported in cyber fraud complaints across India. At the same time, India’s cyber-fraud response systems have helped save more than ₹11,000 crore across 32 lakh complaints. The question is no longer how we stop the next cyberattack, but how we build a digital future that people can trust,” he said.
Summit Brings Cybersecurity Stakeholders Together
Key areas highlighted at KCSS 2026 included:
- Cybersecurity and digital resilience
- AI security and emerging cyber threats
- Cloud security
- Zero Trust architecture
- Cyber risk management
- Cybersecurity awareness and skills
- Protection of businesses and institutions
The official summit programme included discussions on AI-powered enterprise security, national cyber resilience and emerging threats, along with live cyberattack simulations.
Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, KSIDC chairman C Balagopal, Digital University Kerala Vice-Chancellor Saji Gopinath, Data Security Council of India CEO Vinayak Godse and senior F9 Infotech officials were among those who attended the summit.
The event was also supported by the Data Security Council of India, TiE Kerala and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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