In an era dominated by rapid digitization and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, you’d expect large-scale businesses to be fully prepared to defend themselves. But according to the Cisco 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, the reality is far from reassuring—only 7% of organizations in India have achieved a “Mature” level of cybersecurity readiness.
Let’s unpack what this means, why it matters, and what you can actually do about it if you’re running or working for a business in India.
The Alarming Statistics
This Cisco report reveals that an overwhelming majority of Indian businesses—93% to be precise—fall short of full cyber preparedness. Even more concerning, around 81% expect a significant cyber disruption to their business operations within the next 12 to 24 months.
Think about that. Most businesses already know an attack is not a matter of “if” but “when,” and yet, very few are fully prepared to counter such incidents.
And there’s more:
- 95% of organizations have faced some form of AI-related security incident in the past year.
- 57% suffered from full-blown cyberattacks.
- Only 66% of organizations are confident their employees understand AI-related threats.
- 45% admitted they are unable to detect unauthorized AI usage or “shadow AI” within their systems.
These numbers paint a worrying picture, especially in the context of India’s rapidly growing digital economy.
(Source: SME Street)
The Rise of AI Threats: A Double-Edged Sword
Artificial Intelligence has become a powerful tool, helping businesses automate operations, analyze data faster, and make smarter decisions. But here’s the catch: AI is now equally powerful in the hands of cybercriminals.
Attackers are using AI to conduct more personalized phishing attacks, bypass traditional security systems, and even simulate real employee behavior. This is especially dangerous when you consider how many companies still rely on basic or siloed security solutions.
For example, a recent article by Economic Times pointed out that many organizations still juggle between multiple security tools that don’t talk to each other—leading to blind spots and slower response times.
The Talent Crunch
Cybersecurity isn’t just about tools and software—it’s also about people. According to the report, 92% of organizations face a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. That’s a staggering number, especially when threats are becoming more complex and dynamic.
The lack of specialized talent leads to longer response times, misconfigurations, and over-reliance on automated tools that aren’t always equipped to handle novel attacks.
The Indian government and private sector have been working to bridge this gap through initiatives like NASSCOM’s FutureSkills Prime and AICTE-approved cybersecurity certifications, but the pace still needs to pick up.
Shadow AI: A Growing Blind Spot
“Shadow AI” refers to the unauthorized or unmonitored use of AI tools within an organization. Employees might be using generative AI platforms to speed up tasks, often without proper vetting or understanding of the security implications.
And here’s the scary part—45% of organizations confessed they aren’t confident about detecting or managing these unauthorized tools.
Not only does this expose sensitive data, but it also makes it extremely difficult for security teams to maintain control. Without a central policy or monitoring system in place, shadow AI can lead to unexpected vulnerabilities.
The Budget Problem
Another major hurdle is money—or rather, how it’s being spent. Only 54% of organizations allocate more than 10% of their IT budget to cybersecurity. That’s a 7% drop compared to last year.
In an environment where threats are evolving daily, cutting back on cybersecurity investments is like trying to fix a leaky roof by ignoring the rain.
Businesses need to realize that cybersecurity isn’t just a cost—it’s an investment in their continuity, trust, and future.
What Can Businesses Do?
Here are a few actionable steps your organization can take right now:
1. Adopt AI-Driven Security Solutions
Modern problems require modern solutions. Businesses should invest in integrated, AI-enabled security platforms that can:
- Monitor in real-time
- Identify anomalies
- Respond instantly without manual intervention
Tools like Cisco XDR or Microsoft Defender for Cloud are good examples.
2. Train Your Employees, Again and Again
Cybersecurity isn’t just the IT department’s job. Every employee should understand:
- How phishing works
- What AI-generated threats look like
- How to spot social engineering attacks
Even simple training sessions and simulated attacks can go a long way.
3. Audit AI Usage in Your Organization
You may not even know what AI tools your teams are using. Start by:
- Conducting an internal audit
- Listing all tools in use
- Reviewing permissions and data access
- Setting up guidelines for AI adoption
4. Increase Cybersecurity Budget Strategically
Rather than spreading your security budget across a bunch of different tools, focus on:
- Unified platforms
- Threat intelligence services
- Cloud and endpoint protection
A little restructuring can give you more bang for your buck.
The Bottom Line
The Cisco report is a wake-up call for Indian enterprises. While our digital ecosystem is booming, our cybersecurity preparedness is lagging behind. With AI threats on the rise and talent shortages compounding the problem, it’s time businesses moved from reactive to proactive security strategies.
Cybercrime won’t wait—and neither should you.
If you’d like to learn more about how your business can stay ahead of cyber threats, WebOrion offers comprehensive solutions, from web app pentesting to cloud security. We ethically hack you before someone else does.
Let’s make your business cyber-resilient—before it’s too late.
