The north Bengal zone of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) hosted “DigiDefend 2025: Safeguarding the Connected World,” a cyber security conclave in Siliguri on Wednesday.

The event apprised the industry players of increasing cyber threats which businesses, as well as individuals, are facing these days, elaborating on the imperative steps needed to bolster digital security.

The event brought together leaders, legal experts, academics, law enforcement officials and policymakers, who shared their knowledge and insights on the growing threats of cyber crimes and steps to strengthen digital security in this interconnected world.

“Businesses, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), must improve their cyber security, conduct frequent audits that the security systems are in place while ensuring that their employees are well aware of the security risks,” said Sandeep Sengupta, the founder and director of the Indian School of Anti-Hacking.

“We urge the state government to strictly enforce cyber laws and regulatory policies to discourage hackers and other cyber-criminals from indulging in digital crimes,” he added.

Biswachand Thakur, deputy commissioner of police (traffic) of Siliguri Metropolitan Police, highlighted the role of law enforcement in countering cybercrime.

“Awareness is the key. Individuals, as well as business enterprises, must be proactive in recognizing the cyber risks and in case of any crime, it should be promptly reported to us and other concerned agencies,” said the police officer.

Academics who attended the conclave underscored the need to educate students on cyber security, irrespective of their field of study.

“Universities and technical institutes must train students in cyber security so that they can develop the skills needed to fight digital threats,” said Biswajoy Chatterjee, the vice-chancellor of the University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Jaipur.

Ranadeep Bhattacharya, chairman of the IT and education panel of CII’s NB zone, said through the talks it was clear that constant vigilance, better technology and strict legal enforcement are necessary to keep digital spaces secure.

“We intend to host such events in the future to aware people from different walks of life as well as the business fraternity,” he said.

Along with the conclave, the annual general meeting of 2025 of the NB zonal council of CII was also held on Wednesday. Pradeep Singhal became the chairman and Satish Mitruka the vice-chairman.