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AI is a double-edged sword, attackers use it for phishing, deepfakes, and automated exploits. In an exclusive conversation, Rishabh Chhajer, VP – IT & Cybersecurity, ALLEN advises Bhavya Bagga, Business Reporter (Corporate & Leadership) that security must ship with the product, not chase it.
As VP of IT & Cybersecurity, what are the biggest challenges you see organizations facing today in balancing digital transformation with robust security measures?
The biggest challenge is speed vs. security. Organizations want rapid innovation—cloud migration, AI adoption, and automation—but these often outpace security controls. Key issues include:
- Shadow IT from decentralized SaaS adoption.
- Complex hybrid environments that expand the attack surface.
- Compliance pressure with evolving regulations like DPDP Act. The solution is embedding security by design into every transformation initiative, using zero-trust principles and continuous risk assessment rather than bolt-on security.
With the rise of AI-driven cyber threats, how is your team leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen detection and response mechanisms?
AI is a double-edged sword—attackers use it for phishing, deepfakes, and automated exploits. We counter this by:
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- Deploying AI-powered threat detection in our SIEM/XDR stack for anomaly detection and behavioral analytics.
- Using machine learning for predictive risk scoring in vulnerability management.
- Leveraging automated playbooks for faster containment and response. We also run adversarial simulations to test resilience against AI-generated attacks.
Cloud adoption continues to grow rapidly. What key strategies do you recommend ensuring cloud environments remain secure while supporting scalability and agility?
Our strategy is built on three pillars:
- Shared Responsibility Clarity: Define roles between cloud provider and internal teams.
- Cloud-Native Security: Implement CSPM, CIEM, and CNAPP for continuous posture management.
- Zero-Trust & Identity-Centric Controls: Enforce least privilege, MFA, and continuous monitoring. Automation is key infrastructure as code with embedded security policies ensures agility without sacrificing compliance.
Human error remains a major cybersecurity risk. How do you approach building a culture of awareness and resilience among employees across all levels of the organization?
Technology alone cannot solve human risk. We focus on:
- Role-based training: Tailored programs for executives, developers, and end-users.
- Leadership buy-in: Cybersecurity is part of business KPIs, not just IT metrics.
- Incident drills: Tabletop exercises to build muscle memory for crisis response.
Ransomware attacks are becoming more sophisticated. What proactive measures and incident response frameworks do you consider essential to minimize their impact?
Our approach combines prevention, detection, and response:
- Prevention: Patch management, EDR, and network segmentation.
- Detection: MDR with 24×7 monitoring and threat hunting.
- Response: A tested Incident Response Plan aligned with NIST framework, including isolation protocols and immutable backups. We also maintain cyber insurance and legal readiness for compliance and reporting obligations.
Looking ahead, what trends in cybersecurity do you believe will most significantly shape enterprise strategies over the next 3–5 years?
- AI-native security ops: L1 triage becomes algorithmic; humans focus on complex investigations and purple-team work.
- Identity & data as control planes: Password less, continuous auth, confidential computing, and pervasive data tagging.
- Regulatory cadence: Privacy (DPDP/ISO 27701) becomes a continuous compliance pipeline; evidence-as-code.
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