MAY 20: To bolster India’s cybersecurity audit ecosystem, the three-day national annual conference, CERT-In SAMVAAD 2025, was inaugurated on May 19 at Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The event, organized by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in partnership with SkillsDA, was opened by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, alongside key figures such as Shri Brajendra Navnit, Dr. Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Dr. N. Subramanian, and Dr. Sanjay Bahl.
In his keynote address, Shri Krishnan emphasized the urgent need for innovation in cybersecurity auditing, enhanced risk assessments, and stronger focus on emerging technologies. He highlighted collaboration across sectors as critical to fortify India’s audit systems and enable a more cyber-resilient digital ecosystem.
DG CERT-In, Dr. Sanjay Bahl, highlighted the uniqueness of the conference as the first of its kind globally, crafted specifically for the auditing community. He detailed CERT-In’s efforts in building a robust framework for cybersecurity through the empanelment of Information Security Auditing Organizations. The conference, he said, would provide valuable insights through new methodologies, frameworks, and case studies aimed at elevating audit quality and competence.
Dr. Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Director, IIT Madras, stressed the significance of cyber resilience amid increasing threats to digital services. He called for comprehensive architectures and frameworks to protect systems during crises and appreciated CERT-In for organizing such a timely event.
Dr. N. Subramanian from SETS raised concerns about cybersecurity in the age of AI, 5G/6G, and quantum computing, while Shri Brajendra Navnit emphasized Tamil Nadu’s proactive cybersecurity policies and the importance of in-depth audits to safeguard sensitive systems.
A key panel on bridging regulatory expectations with audit practices was moderated by Shri S.S. Sarma of CERT-In, providing actionable insights for auditing organizations.
Over the course of three days, the conference will feature 70+ presentations across management and technical tracks, covering areas such as AI, blockchain, SBOM, automated auditing, and cloud security. The event will offer forward-looking tools and frameworks to help India’s audit ecosystem evolve with cutting-edge digital challenges.
More than 300 participants, including government, industry leaders, and auditing organizations, are attending this landmark cybersecurity conference.