IIT Madras Launches Cybersecurity Centre To Address Critical Security Challenges

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched a new cybersecurity centre to boost fundamental and applied research for driving innovation in the country. Through its ‘Centre for Cybersecurity, Trust and Reliability’ (CyStar) inaugurated on October 8, 2024, IIT Madras aims to work towards advancements in blockchain, security for AI models, cryptography, quantum security, and IoT security. 

CyStar will develop a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy to address the emerging cybersecurity challenges driven by AI and the post-quantum era. This approach will focus on safeguarding critical national infrastructure, offering a holistic defence against these advanced technological threats.

The Centre will collaborate globally and locally with academia, industry and research institutions, equipping students, professionals and researchers with the expertise needed to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s complex security challenges. It will help in creating a safer digital world by addressing critical security challenges in industries such as finance, healthcare, automotive and electronics.

The key research, industry and government partners of CyStar include the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Education, Vitesco Technologies, Kaspersky, IDBI Bank, LG India, Saptang Labs, Algorand, Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research and National Security Coordination Secretariat among others.

As per the official notification by IIT Madras, “The mission of CyStar is to push the boundaries of cybersecurity through innovative research and education. Recognising that cybersecurity demands a multi-disciplinary approach, the research team at CyStar is diverse, encompassing a wide range of expertise.”

CyStar aspires to build a knowledge and innovation ecosystem where industry leaders, scholars and government institutions can collaborate to integrate and apply advancements in knowledge to real-time products or services in Cybersecurity, adds the notification.