In an exclusive conversation with CXO Media and APAC Media, Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director, Check Point Software Technologies, India & South Asia outlines the strategy behind incorporating AI into cybersecurity solutions and the shift from a reactive security strategy to a proactive one.
As the Managing Director at Check Point, how do you articulate and prioritise strategic initiatives to drive cybersecurity innovation and business growth across India and the broader APAC region?
At Check Point Software, our strategy is clear: drive cyber security innovation and resilience by focusing on AI-powered, prevention-first security and expanding local capabilities. India and APAC are central to our growth — especially as according to a report by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), the Indian cyber security services market was valued at USD 4.3 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% to reach USD 13.6 billion by 2029.
Here in India, we are growing; in fact, we recently expanded our footprint with a 42,700-square-foot innovation centre in Bengaluru—our second-largest office globally. We will continue to develop further in India with local innovation via our first Asia Pacific R&D centre in Bengaluru to strengthen our current global product development. Check Point is also focused on driving AI leadership by embedding AI across our Infinity platform, powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud AI, by making use of over 40 AI engines, to make 2 billion security decisions daily to help keep our customers safe.
And finally, we believe in Skills development through our Secure Academy, by training thousands of students across India, and investing in the next generation of cyber talent. By aligning these initiatives, we ensure we stay ahead of evolving threats and support India and APAC’s growing digital economies.
In light of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, how is Check Point incorporating artificial intelligence and automation to proactively counter advanced and sophisticated cyber threats?
Check Point has been integrating AI into our cyber solutions since 2014—long before it became an industry buzzword. At the core of our AI strategy is our ThreatCloud AI, leveraging over 40 AI engines to make 2 billion security decisions every day. Other recent innovations also include Check Point Infinity AI Copilot, which automates up to 90% of routine security tasks, allowing security teams to focus on strategic threats.
Check Point AI Cloud Protect was developed with NVIDIA to defend against complex AI-driven cyber threats, while Check Point GenAI Protect enables secure adoption of generative AI tools like ChatGPT by applying real-time DLP policies. These AI-driven innovations are just a few of our solutions which proactively detect unknown threats, automate response, and safeguard hybrid cloud environments across sectors like BFSI, healthcare, and government.
With the growing incidence of ransomware, phishing attacks, and cloud-based vulnerabilities, what proactive measures would you recommend businesses undertake to effectively safeguard their digital infrastructure?
In order to better protect themselves from GenV cyber attacks today, businesses must shift from reactive to proactive cybersecurity by adopting a Prevention-First Security stance, by focusing on stopping threats before they enter the business and impact it. A Zero Trust Architecture is gaining much more interest and acceptance in today’s businesses, with a “never trust, always verify” posture for all users, devices, and applications.
A more cost-effective and efficient solution is to adopt AI-driven SOCs by deploying AI-powered Security Operations Centres for real-time threat detection. With businesses still growing on the cloud, a strong Cloud Native Protection is necessary, by using hybrid mesh architectures integrate cloud and on-premise security.
Check Point has long been recognised as a leader in cybersecurity innovation. Could you highlight any recent technological advancements or AI-driven solutions that you consider particularly transformative?
Check Point has been innovating within the area of cybersecurity since we started over 30 years ago. Some of our recent transformative innovations include the Check Point Infinity AI Copilot, which reduces analyst workload by automating 90% of repetitive security tasks, as all organisations adopt AI-driven solutions for faster outcomes and automatic results.
Check Point Quantum R82 Firewall adopts new AI-powered engines to prevent zero-day phishing, malware, and DNS exploits and continuing on this AI-driven interest is Check Point GenAI Protect, enabling real-time monitoring and DLP for generative AI applications at organisations.
Additionally, our Check Point hybrid mesh architecture stands out, providing seamless, integrated security across cloud and on-premises systems, offering enterprises greater agility, lower cloud costs, and stronger threat protection.
As digital transformation continues to accelerate across sectors such as BFSI and government, how do you foresee the role of cybersecurity evolving in this context?
With the number of cyberattacks increasing every single day, cybersecurity is no longer a supporting function — it is becoming a business enabler. This is so true, especially here in India, where in the last 6 months, the finance and banking sector saw 2,590 weekly attacks (versus 1,739 attacks globally) in India, according to the Check Point Threat Intelligence Report.
In sectors like BFSI and government, where attack rates are among the highest with 4,744 cyberattacks for the Government sector in India in the last 6 months, organisations looking to ensure strong security must work to have cybersecurity embedded early in every digital transformation project, and protect complex hybrid environments (IoT, multi-cloud, GenAI applications) to prevent any such breaches or attacks. We also advise our customers to support compliance with evolving regulations like India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
From a leadership standpoint, what core principles do you rely on to cultivate a culture of innovation, resilience, and operational excellence within your teams and the wider organisation?
My leadership approach is built around three key principles:
- Vision-driven innovation: Constantly anticipating market needs. Check Point’s proactive AI strategy, launched in 2014, exemplifies our forward-looking mindset
- Resilience through collaboration: We invest in upskilling through Secure Academy and strong university partnerships to build collective resilience.
- Operational excellence through accountability: Our AI TRiSM (Trust, Risk, and Security Management) ensures ethical, transparent AI usage across all solutions.
By combining these principles, we ensure our teams stay agile, proactive, and committed to delivering cybersecurity innovations that meet real-world challenges.
Bhavya Bagga
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