As Indian enterprises accelerate digitalization and adopt AI across the board, the cyber threat landscape has become more hostile and complex. From ransomware to deepfakes, attackers now exploit automation and AI with the same speed and scale that enterprises hope to achieve.
The findings of Tech Disruptor Media’s India Inc. Digital Playbook 2025 survey highlight a sharp paradox: while cyber risk is now a board-level agenda item, most organizations continue to fight today’s threats with yesterday’s tools.
Underpowered Defenses: AI Still Marginal in Cybersecurity
- 44% of enterprises report using AI in less than 10% of cybersecurity workloads.
- Only 9% use AI in more than half of their security operations.
This means the vast majority of cyber defense remains manual or rules-based.
Analytical view: The widespread underutilization of AI in cybersecurity exposes enterprises to asymmetric risks. Criminal networks and adversaries are already leveraging AI to create deepfakes, adaptive malware, and large-scale phishing. Enterprises without automation risk being stuck on the defensive, unable to match the speed of AI-augmented attackers.
What Enterprises Fear Most: The Threat Spectrum
Survey data reveals a dual challenge: established threats remain dangerous while new, AI-enhanced attacks rise sharply.
- Ransomware (23%) continues to top the list, known for its financial and operational damage.
- AI-generated deepfakes (19%) signal the arrival of a new era of deception, impacting fraud, social engineering, and reputational risk.
- Phishing/social engineering (17%) demonstrates enduring weakness in the human firewall.
- Insider threats (14%) and third-party/vendor risks (13%) highlight that vulnerabilities increasingly come from within the supply chain, not just from outside actors.
- Legacy technology (4%) reinforces that outdated systems remain a persistent backdoor for attackers.
Implication: Indian enterprises face a “dual-front security war” — countering timeless human-centric attacks while confronting AI-driven tactics that erode the effectiveness of traditional defenses.
Industry Variations: Uneven Exposure Levels
The data also reveals sector-specific vulnerabilities:
- BFSI & IT/ITES: Predominantly targeted by ransomware and deepfake attacks due to high-value sensitive data, making AI adoption an urgent necessity.
- Manufacturing/Industrials: More affected by legacy and OT vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for operational technology (OT) security—an area often overlooked.
- Healthcare & Pharma: Face unique risks tied to service disruption of critical infrastructure, amplifying stakes for resilience.
The Cost of Inaction: Incident Impact
Notably, many enterprises reported having experienced at least one incident in the past year, dominated by ransomware and phishing/social engineering.
The most severe impacts were:
- Operational downtime disrupting revenue streams.
- Direct financial losses.
- Reputational damage—with cascading effects on customer trust and compliance.
High-maturity organizations fared better, showing that layered defenses and automation directly correlate to reduced incident frequency and severity.
Defensive Posture: Steps in the Right Direction—But Not Enough
Organizations are evolving their defense posture with awareness programs and basic safeguards:
- 62% run security awareness training for employees.
- 48% have rolled out MFA.
- 39% conduct regular vulnerability scans.
However, only 24% are piloting security automation/AI tools, and just 17% conduct incident simulation exercises.
Interpretation: Most firms are prioritizing surface-level defenses but lagging where true resilience lies—automated detection, response readiness, and governance integration.
Why Cybersecurity Must Become Enterprise DNA
The growing cyber risk is not just a technology issue—it is a strategic business challenge. Boards increasingly recognize cyber resilience as fundamental to:
- Business continuity—downtime is costly.
- Regulatory compliance—data protection and privacy mandates are tightening.
- Trust capital—stakeholder and customer confidence hinge on credible protection.
Put simply, cybersecurity maturity is now an enterprise-wide differentiator. Companies with governance-integrated, AI-enabled defense models are not only safer; they also enjoy smoother compliance and stronger market trust.
Recommendations & Strategic Lessons
To bridge the gap between threat evolution and preparedness, enterprises should:
- Shift to AI-Augmented Security: Scale up AI-enabled detection and automated response to outpace attackers.
- Adopt Layered Defense: Reinforce traditional controls with proactive monitoring, patching, and SOAR platforms.
- Secure the Supply Chain & OT Systems: Extend defenses to vendors, third parties, and industrial environments.
- Invest in Culture & Skills: Make employees the first line of defense via ongoing awareness programs and clear insider policies.
- Modernize Legacy Systems Incrementally: Virtual patching, segmentation, and phased infrastructure refresh are essential.
Outlook: Cyber Defense at a Tipping Point
The trajectory is clear: as attackers weaponize AI, enterprises cannot afford to depend on manual and legacy defenses.
The next phase will demand:
- Board-level reporting and accountability for cyber risk.
- Continuous benchmarking against peers and emerging standards.
- Public-private collaboration to counter systemic threats.
In 2025, cybersecurity has moved from IT checklist to existential business priority. The pace at which India Inc. scales AI-enabled defenses, modernizes legacy systems, and embeds cybersecurity into organizational culture will decide not just resilience—but enterprise survival itself.
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