Data Privacy Day 2025: Indian Organizations Must Go Beyond Merely Storing Data Due to growing digital presence, important sectors are attracting more cyberattacks than ever before. The question then arises: how can organizations effectively balance innovation with privacy, security, and trust?

With an increasing reliance on digital technologies, businesses across the globe are handling vast amounts of sensitive data including social security numbers, health records, financial information, and more. Due to their growing digital presence, these sectors are attracting more cyberattacks than ever before—especially India, which was listed as one of the most cyber-attacked countries worldwide in 2024.

As we celebrate Data Privacy Day 2025, the importance of data protection and privacy has never been more pressing. The question then arises: how can organizations effectively balance innovation with privacy, security, and trust?

"Data privacy is not just about compliance, it is a fundamental pillar of trust," says Sandeep Bhambure, Vice President and Managing Director, India & SAARC, Veeam Software. As the scale of cyber threats grows—Veeam Software reports over 369 million security incidents detected across 8.44 million endpoints.

Bhambure emphasizes that organizations must take a proactive approach to data protection. "This equates to 702 potential security threats every minute. Organizations must prioritize data resilience 365 days a year, implementing proactive measures such as data encryption, access controls, and real-time tracking to detect vulnerabilities."

AI: a big threat

According to the latest report by the Capgemini Research Institute, approximately 97 per cent of enterprises leveraging generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) have witnessed security incidents or data breaches linked to the technology at some point in 2024.

Highlighting the risks associated with AI, Ripu Bajwa, Director of Sales and General Manager of Data Protection and Unstructured Data Solutions at Dell Technologies India, explains, "AI can generate advanced ransomware, malware, and deepfake attacks, with threats like data poisoning, ransomware, privacy breaches, and social engineering becoming more common."

He also added that 45 per cent of Indian businesses lack adequate security for GenAI.

Bajwa underscores the importance of a robust cyber resiliency strategy to protect sensitive data, particularly AI training data, models, and configurations. "Data Privacy Day serves as a reminder to prioritize personal information protection in an AI-driven world, adopt better data practices, and mitigate risks to ensure digital security," he says.

Digital economy needs strong data practices

Apurva Palnitkar, Senior Director of Marketing at GoDaddy India, emphasizes the necessity of strong data practices for businesses of all sizes, "In today's digital economy, data privacy is a necessity for building customer trust and business resilience. From customer email addresses to critical operational data, every piece of information holds immense value."

According to GoDaddy's data on cybersecurity, 54 per cent of Indian small businesses have experienced online security breaches, with 29 per cent reporting significant operational impacts.

Palnitkar suggests simple, actionable steps to reduce vulnerabilities, "Training employees on security awareness, using SSL certificates, implementing strong encryption, and ensuring regular backups can help significantly reduce vulnerabilities."

Traditional defenses must merge with modern solutions

As the digital ecosystem grows more complex, traditional defenses are no longer enough. Anant Deshpande, Regional Vice President, India & ASEAN, DigiCert, highlights the increasing complexity of cyber threats. He says, "Businesses faced an average of 3,291 cyberattacks per week in the last six months. Organizations need comprehensive security at every level."

Further, he stresses the importance of Digital Trust in fostering innovation and ensuring data protection. "With the rise of AI-driven attacks and the increase in infostealer attacks, organizations must go beyond traditional defenses."

In conclusion, Bill Draper, Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Virtusa, explains that data privacy is not just a technical responsibility; it's a cultural shift. "In today's fast-paced business environment, organizations must go beyond merely storing data, extract actionable insights that drive innovation, keeping privacy principles at its core."