Lady Entrepreneurs’ Wing of Vidarbha Industries Association (VIALEW) organized the Session on “Cyber Crime in the Digital Age : Protecting MSMEs from Cyber Threats” on 11th April 2025 at VIA Auditorium, Nagpur.
The objective was to create awareness on mitigating cybersecurity risks through passwords, MFA, updates, training, and data backups.
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11 April 2025
Expert speaker, Lohit Matani, DCP Zone-I & Cyber, Nagpur, stated that most cybercrimes and cyberattacks occur because personal data is easily accessible online. He said attackers often target young or minor girls and teenagers, as they are more vulnerable and easier victims. It has also been observed that attackers study individuals’ behavior to exploit their psychological weaknesses. According to him, the motives behind cybercrimes include financial gain, revenge, cyberbullying, data theft, disruption, and destruction.
He stated that in the event of any cyberattack or fraud, a complaint or FIR should be registered by calling 1930. The Maharashtra Cyber Center has been developed with advanced forensic tools and technology to effectively combat cybercrime.
He advised not to open any Remote access trojans (RATs) links, which contain malware and allow an attacker to remotely control an infected computer. He also emphasized the importance of being cautious and avoiding the sharing of confidential information through chat boxes, virtual assistants like Alexa, or on public platforms.
Nitin Sachdeva, President and MD of Delaplex Ltd, Nagpur, emphasized on the Business Risks, Targets & Impact of Cyber Breach, Common Cyber Threats & Sources and Protections from Cyber Risks. He highlighted that Indians lost ₹1.77 billion ($20.3 million) to fraud in the fiscal year ending March 2024—more than double the losses from the previous year. According to the Ministry of Finance, high-value fraud cases (involving ₹100,000 or more) surged to 29,082 from 6,699 the year before. He also briefed about types of Business Risks & Cyber Risks.
Major affected sectors are – over 55% of manufacturing companies reported multiple security breaches, with Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector facing double the global average of cyberattacks. Cyberattacks on Indian Government bodies rose 138% from 2019 to 2023, while post-COVID, the healthcare industry became a major target for ransomware attacks disrupting operations.
India ranked third globally in cyberattacks in 2023. Small businesses face 43% of attacks, with rising threats projected to hit 1 trillion annually by 2033. Common Cyber Threats, Sources of Cyber Risk, Real Life Cyber Attacks in India, he cited few companies viz. Sun Pharmaceutical, JustDial, BigBasket, etc.
He emphasized that developing a culture of cybersecurity awareness makes employees the first line of defense. Regular training helps them identify threats, reduces human error, and enables swift response—building long-term resilience through a strong security-first mindset.
He said MSMEs can enhance cybersecurity by using strong passwords and enabling 2FA, training employees to recognize threats, regularly backing up data, installing antivirus and firewalls, and keeping systems updated. Limiting access to sensitive data based on roles further minimizes risk, building a more secure and resilient business environment.
Earlier, Rashmi Kulkarni, Chairperson – VIALEW welcomed the Guest speakers and in her welcome address said Cybersecurity is vital for businesses as it safeguards sensitive data, prevents financial losses, maintains customer trust, and ensures compliance with regulations, ultimately protecting reputation and operational continuity.
Project Director, Shachi Mallick made an opening remark and also introduced the guests’ speakers. Yogita Deshmukh, Secretary – VIALEW summed up the session and also proposed a vote of thanks.
Prominently present were VIALEW Advisory Member – Sarita Pawar Immd Past Chairperson – Poonam Lala, Past Chairpersons – Dr Anita Rao, Vandana Sharma, EC Members – Amandeep Kaur Sehemi, along with LEW members, lady Entrepreneurs attended the program also attended by MSMEs, Entrepreneurs and the members of the Wing.
