Duo, a cloud-based secure access provider which is now part of Cisco has launched its first data centre in India to help customers strengthen their cyber defences and meet data localisation requirements. This is the latest in Cisco’s investments to build future-ready, data-compliant security infrastructure in India.
The launch of the data center in Mumbai is a part of Duo’s global expansion strategy. The data centre will enable all functionality from Duo’s zero-trust platform, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), VPN-less remote access, device trust, password less (in public preview), and adaptive risk-based policies. The local data center will allow businesses to enhance their performance by improving connection stability, the company said.
This move assumes significance as Indian companies large and small are accelerating their digital transformation. However, this brings about the challenge of keeping pace with an increasingly complex threat landscape. According to a recent Cisco survey, 37 per cent of cybersecurity technologies used by firms in India are considered outdated by their security leaders. Recognising that the need to improve preparedness has never been greater, nearly nine in 10 Indian companies surveyed are investing in a zero-trust strategy – including password-less security – to permit better agility, visibility, and control.
“As Indian organisations ramp up their security, they must focus on building a robust cloud-based, automated architecture to facilitate remote management of highly distributed users, applications, and networks. At Cisco, as we catalyze our transition to delivering a majority of our portfolio as a service, we are bringing Duo to more customers to help them not only prevent and respond to breaches but also be certain that their data is held securely within the region,” said Daisy Chittilapilly, President, Cisco India & SAARC.
Chittilapilly further added that the new data center doubles down on our continued commitment to India and will augment Cisco’s security capabilities to support the rising legion of hybrid businesses across the nation.
Data Protection Bill
The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on December 11, 2019. The Bill seeks to provide for the protection of the personal data of individuals and establishes a Data Protection Authority for the same. This bill proposes the country’s first data localisation framework for the entire economy.
“Data localisation is emerging as another area of regulatory focus with further layers of regulatory and legal requirements, causing vexation for business enterprises who are growingly engaging in cross border data sharing as part of their participation in an increasingly interconnected world,” said Khushbu Jain, Advocate, Supreme Court of India.
According to the bill, sensitive personal data may be transferred outside India for processing if explicitly consented to by the individual, and subject to certain additional conditions. However, such sensitive personal data should continue to be stored in India. Certain personal data notified as critical personal data by the government can only be processed in India. Any critical personal data may be transferred outside India to a person or entity engaged in the provision of health services or emergency services.
