Bengaluru, March 5 : India must develop innovative strategies and nurture young talent to protect its digital infrastructure as it has emerged as the second most targeted country for cyberattacks next only to the US, according to S M D Jeelani, Director of operations of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Inaugurating the SISA's Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence Lab at Dayananda Sagar University (DSU) here, Jeelani said, "The lab is a critical step in shaping a new generation of cyber leaders who can play a key role and offer out-of-the-box thinking and expertise to protect our digital ecosystem."

The initiative is aimed at training students in industry-relevant cybersecurity skills, preparing them to address emerging threats.

Dharshan Shanthamurthy, CEO of SISA, sees the lab as a collaboration hub, fostering student innovation and contributing to the development of the global cybersecurity landscape.

"We believe the impact of this initiative will extend far beyond the classroom, driving innovation and strengthening the global cybersecurity landscape," said.

The initiative aligns with the Indian government's goals for national development, particularly through its inclusion in the central internship program that is a brainchild of the PM Modi.

The centre will serve as a platform to support the central government's internship programme announced during the Union Budget 2025 and will play a crucial role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Shanthamurthy said.

India emerged as the second most targeted nation in terms of cyberattacks in the world as 95 Indian entities came under data theft attacks in 2024, according to a report by cyber intelligence firm CloudSEK.

According to the company's ThreatLandscape Report 2024 based on data monitoring in the dark web, the US was the most targeted country, with 140 attacks, due to its economic dominance and digital infrastructure, followed by India.

"The threat actors impacted various sectors in India, with the finance and banking sectors experiencing the highest number of victims at 20. This was followed by the government sector with 13 victims, telecommunications with 12, and the healthcare, pharma and education sectors with 10 and 9 victims, respectively," the report said

"Lockbit was the most active ransomware group in India, being responsible for over 20 incidents in the country, followed by more than 15 targets by Killsec. Ransomhub ransomware was responsible for over 12 incidents in the country," the report said.

/IANS