Cyber Security Training for India's Workforce: A Strategy

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CEOs

CTOs

CISOs

Cyber Security Managers

As work cultures continue to evolve globally, India is no exception. The adoption of remote work had gained momentum during the pandemic, and now the hybrid model—blending remote and in-office work—is becoming the new norm. Many organizations have seamlessly transitioned into this hybrid setup, benefiting from increased flexibility and better work-life balance for employees. However, the shift to hybrid models has also led to a significant increase in the attack surface, with employees accessing critical company data from home and remote locations, using various devices and networks. This growing complexity highlights the need for cyber security awareness training to evolve and adapt to the needs of a diverse, hybrid workforce.

Cyber Security Awareness Training Tips for India’s Workforce

India has embraced digitalization with full force, especially over the years. The tech sector, e-commerce, and government initiatives have all driven rapid adoption. As expected, digitization brings along its own set of challenges, including increased vulnerabilities. Cyber attacks in India are projected to reach a staggering 17 trillion by 2047, highlighting the urgency for stronger cyber security measures. Notably, India has now become the second-most-targeted nation for cyber attacks, as stated by CloudSEK, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance and strong defense strategies. To get a more detailed look at India’s cyber threat landscape please take a look here Understanding India’s Cyber Threat Landscape in 2025.

As the workforce adapts to new work models, it’s crucial to ensure that employees, whether working remotely or in the office, are well-prepared to tackle the cyber challenges that arise. Hybrid work models necessitate the need for security awareness training that accounts for different working environments and ensures that employees understand how to securely navigate both remote and office settings.

1. Customize Training to Address India’s Unique Cyber Security

The Issue:

India’s growing digital landscape has introduced significant cyber security risks, but many organizations still overlook India-specific cyber threats when designing security training. With the increasing adoption of hybrid work models, where employees work both remotely and in-office, the challenge of securing diverse work environments becomes more pronounced.

What organizations can do:

• Focus on local cyber threats in both remote and office settings: India has seen an increase in cyber crimes such as banking fraud, identity theft, and mobile phishing. Smishing (SMS phishing) and vishing (voice phishing) are particularly prevalent in India. It’s important that training covers these local threats and provides solutions for both remote workers and office employees. For remote workers, the focus could be on securing home networks, while for office workers, it could focus on enforcing physical access controls in the workplace.

• Focus on industry-specific tailored training: Different sectors in India face distinct cyber security risks. The banking and finance sector is particularly prone to sophisticated frauds like Business Email Compromise (BEC), while healthcare organizations must be vigilant about data breaches involving sensitive personal information. Hybrid work adds a layer of complexity, as employees may access sensitive data from unsecured personal networks. Tailoring training for hybrid work setups across various sectors will ensure employees are prepared for the unique challenges they face in both environments.

• Collaborate with local experts to stay current: To keep training up-to-date with India’s evolving cyber security landscape, organizations could leverage resources from Indian cyber security agencies such as CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), NCRB CyTrain (National Crime Records Bureau - CyTrain), and DSCI (Data Security Council of India).

By focusing on India-specific threats, organizations can ensure that their employees are well-prepared to handle the risks unique to the country’s digital ecosystem.

2. Integrate India’s Cyber Security Regulations into Training

The Issue:

India has a growing number of data protection and privacy laws, such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act). However, many organizations fail to adequately educate employees about these regulations, which can result in compliance failures, data breaches, and legal consequences. In a hybrid work environment, this is even more critical as employees may work from home, using personal devices or insecure networks, increasing the risk of non-compliance.

What organizations can do:

• Align training with regulatory requirements: Organizations must integrate the regulations like DPDP Act into their cyber security training programs. This ensures that employees understand their responsibilities when handling personal data, both in-office and when working remotely. The emphasis should be on educating employees about secure practices when accessing company data from various locations, ensuring compliance is maintained across all work setups.

• Leverage resources from government agencies to stay aligned: India’s National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) offer valuable guidance for aligning training programs with national cyber security standards. Organizations could use these resources to ensure training stays up-to-date and relevant for employees, regardless of whether they are working remotely or in the office.

• Simulate real scenarios to reinforce compliance in a hybrid model: Incorporating role-playing exercises and real-life scenarios in training—such as how to handle data breaches or ensuring secure access to company resources from both office and remote settings—helps employees understand the implications of non-compliance. For hybrid workers, scenarios should include potential risks in both environments, ensuring employees are well-equipped to follow security practices wherever they work.

By aligning employee training with India’s cyber security regulations, organizations can better protect themselves from legal risks while fostering a culture of cyber security compliance.

3. Provide Multilingual Training to Support India’s Diverse Workforce

The Issue:

India’s multilingual workforce can pose a challenge for training effectiveness if cyber security content is only available in English. Given the diversity of languages spoken across the country, it's crucial to ensure that training is accessible to all employees, regardless of their linguistic background. What organizations can do:

• Offer multilingual training options across hybrid work setups: Given India’s linguistic diversity, cyber security training should be offered in multiple key languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and others. This approach ensures that employees, whether working remotely or in the office, can access training material in their preferred language, enabling better comprehension and reducing the chances of miscommunication or errors, particularly in remote environments where employees may be operating outside of a controlled office setting.

• Use region-specific and culturally relevant examples: Incorporate local cyber security issues and examples, such as scams prevalent in India, mobile banking fraud, and regional security challenges specific to the employee's location. These examples should be included in the training programs, especially for remote workers who might be encountering threats that are unique to their local regions. Providing these relatable scenarios will help the workforce connect more effectively with the training content and make it more engaging.

By offering cyber security training in multiple languages and considering regional nuances, organizations can improve engagement and reduce the risk of employees misinterpreting security guidelines.

Build a Cyber-Aware Workforce

Cyber threats continue to rise in India, and technology alone cannot defend organizations. As seen in recent reports, over 64% of Indian organizations report gaps in their employees' understanding of basic cyber security principles. This gap is compounded by the hybrid work environment, where employees may not always follow the same security measures at home as they would in the office.

For India’s businesses, now is the time to take action. As the digital landscape grows, cyber security awareness training must be continuously updated to match the evolving threat landscape. Organizations must ensure their training is accessible to all employees, whether remote or in the office, and periodically updated to reflect the latest threats and regulatory changes. A well-prepared workforce will not only reduce the risk of data breaches and cyber attacks but will also create a culture of cyber security that enhances overall organizational cyber resilience.