Cyber Safe East India – Workshops on Cyber Security for MSMEs and Women entrepreneurs (Phase-III)

Background:

Micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) in India have embraced digital technology quickly, opening up new markets and improving operational efficiency. MSMEs are, however, at risk from cybercriminals as a result of this adoption, particularly in tier II cities. The pandemic’s sudden shift to digital transactions has made cybersecurity’s significance to the economy more apparent. MSMEs ought to be aware of security-related issues and prepared to handle cyberattacks that jeopardize their data and privacy. Cyberspace is a sizable network powered by the internet, and every user of a digital platform has flaws that can be easily exploited by cyber-criminals.

India ranks third in cyber-attacks from 2006 to 2020, behind the US and UK. The rise of connected devices, internet penetration, and digitization in sectors like education, finance, healthcare, retail, has increased their vulnerability towards cyber-attack, which posing monetary losses, data theft, reputation loss and threats to the social harmony. In 2020, India experienced a three-fold increase in cyber security-related incidents, with 1.16 million breaches recorded. The National Crime Records Bureau reported an increase in cybercrime from 3.3% in 2019 to 3.7% in 2020. CUTS, with support from the US State Department, conducted seven capacity building programs in the Northeast states of India to educate and raise awareness among MSME’s and women entrepreneurs on various cyber security threats.

The support will help CUTS build a bottom-up approach to identifying limitations and building the capacity of MSME’s and Women entrepreneurs on cyber security issues, supporting their work to promote safer, more secure, knowledgeable, user-friendly, and inter-connected use of digital platforms or tools to reduce cybercrimes.

In this context, CUTS will organise 4 capacity building workshops on Cyber-security practices in 4 different North-East states of India, namely Agartala (Tripura), Aizwal (Mizoram), Imphal (Manipur), and Kohima (Nagaland).

The current initiative will be instrumental in:

Identify cyber security needs of MSMEs and women entrepreneurs to combat against data breach/cyber-attacks,
Provide a platform for the MSMEs and women entrepreneurs, where they can understand the importance of cyber security practice and develop concrete strategies for their online transactions and data safety,
Designing appropriate counter strategies for them to make them aware of cyber threats and help them to get knowledge about the use cyber tools to keep their enterprises safe, and
Collating and disseminating best practices of cyber security for MSMEs and women entrepreneurs to safely navigate the digital space.

About Project

Project Goal:
The overall goal of this initiative is to organize four capacity-building workshops on various cyber security challenges and the necessary steps to deal with cyber-attacks for the MSME’s, Women entrepreneurs and other relevant stakeholders, one each at Agartala (Tripura), Aizwal (Mizoram), Imphal (Manipur), and Kohima (Nagaland).

Objective:
The initiative aims to empower MSME’s and women entrepreneurs to navigate the digital space safely, raise awareness on cyber threats, and design own methods to educate other users/employees on cyber threats. It will build on the Digital India Campaign platform, generate awareness about cybersecurity risks, facilitate sustainable stakeholder interaction, and compile and disseminate good practices on cyber security tools. Apart from MSMEs and women entrepreneurs, these programs will also attract participation from other communities including business associations, chambers of commerce, college students, professionals working in the area, etc.

Project Audience:
Each workshop will be conducted on a pre and post-lunch basis (6 hrs) with approximately 30-40 participants from relevant stakeholder categories viz. MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, business associations, chambers of commerce, college students, professionals working in the area, etc.

Activity:
The project will be implemented in three phases:-

CUTS International

Established in 1983, Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS International) is a non-profit non-governmental organisation, engaged in promoting consumer sovereignty in the framework of social justice, economic equality and environmental balance, within and across borders. It is a leading Southern voice working on three verticals: Rules-based trade; Effective regulation; and Good governance. More information is available here: http://www.cuts-international.org/pdf/Programme_Brochure.pdf

CUTS operate out of 14 Centers spread across India, Africa, South East Asia, Europe and USA. More information is available here: http://www.cuts-international.org.

CUTS Calcutta Resource Center (CUTS CRC) is leading the implementation of the alongwith CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment, and Economic Regulation (CUTS CCIER). More details available at (https://www.cuts-crc.org/) and http://www.cuts-ccier.org/).

Partner organisations

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
14th Floor, Biscomaun Tower,
West Gandhi Maidan,
Patna – 800001, Bihar (India)
E-Mail: infocdacpatna@cdac.in

CUTS have also engaged experts from Cyber Resilience Institute, USA to conduct the training season.

Apart from this, while conducting the training programme, CUTS will seek cooperation from local administrative bodies, MSME departments, local associations, chambers of commerce etc.

Expected Outcomes

Enhancing the capacity of MSMEs and women entrepreneurs to combat cyber-attacks,
Encouraging and informing about new cyber security warfare strategies for MSMEs and women entrepreneurs on cyber security practices,
Contribute to Digital India initiatives by creating awareness of cyberspace challenges, risk of data breach, safe use of e-commerce platforms etc.
Build capacity to adopt secure digital technologies and conduct online business transactions by MSMEs and women entrepreneurs.

Research Outputs/Event

Workshop on Cyber Security for MSMEs and Women entrepreneurs
Kohima(Nagaland), April 04, 2024
Workshop on Cyber Security for MSMEs and Women entrepreneurs
Aizawl (Mizoram), February 19, 2024
Workshop on Cyber Security for MSMEs and Women entrepreneurs
Dimapur (Nagaland), February 17, 2024
Workshop on Cyber Security for MSMEs and Women entrepreneurs
Agartala, September 22, 2023

Media

Workshop equips MSMEs in Aizwal with cybersecurity strategies, threats
Northeast News, February 23, 2024
Nagaland: US Consulate General Kolkata Collaborates with CUTS International to Bolster Cybersecurity for MSMEs
Ukhrul, Times, February 17, 2024

Contact Us

CONSUMER UNITY & TRUST SOCIETY (CUTS)
D–217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302016, Rajasthan, India
Ph: +91 141-2282821/22/23
Fax: +91 141 2282485
Email: cuts1@cuts.org

For any immediate assistance related to this project, please contact Mr. Arnab Ganguly: +91 9874410391; Mr. Sumanta Biswas: +91 9735621680