India today is one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the world, but it is also one of the most targeted in terms of cyber threats, so cybersecurity is important.
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Nagaland is steadily moving toward a more digitised future. From governance systems to everyday transactions, technology is no longer something distant or optional. It is becoming part of how people live, work, and interact. Government services are gradually shifting online, businesses are adapting to digital platforms, and individuals rely heavily on smartphones for communication, payments, and information.
There is a growing sense of progress. Discussions around IT infrastructure, digital inclusion, and even the proposed Chief Minister’s technology hub reflect an ambition to move forward and stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital India. This shift is necessary. It is also unavoidable. But beneath this visible progress lies a quieter reality that does not receive the same level of attention. We are becoming digital faster than we are becoming secure.
Across conversations about development, the focus remains on access, speed, and expansion. Faster internet, better connectivity, and more digital services are seen as indicators of growth. However, one critical question is often missing from these discussions. How secure are these systems that we are building and using every day?
Cybersecurity is still treated as something secondary, something that can be addressed later. In reality, it should be the starting point. When security is not built into systems from the beginning, everything that follows rests on unstable ground. This is not just a technical issue. It is a societal one.
India today is one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the world, but it is also one of the most targeted in terms of cyber threats. Over the past few years, millions of cyber incidents have been reported annually. These include phishing attacks, financial fraud, identity theft, ransomware, and data breaches. Many of these incidents do not even make headlines, yet they affect ordinary people in very real ways.
Globally, the situation is no different. Cybercrime has evolved into an organised, large-scale industry. Experts estimate that the economic impact of cybercrime runs into trillions of dollars each year. Reports by international organisations consistently rank cyber threats among the most serious risks facing modern societies.
These numbers can feel distant, but the reality is much closer to home.
Almost everyone today knows someone who has received a suspicious message claiming to be from a bank, asking for account details or OTP verification. Many have encountered fake job offers, fraudulent investment schemes, or social media accounts that impersonate friends and relatives.
Some have lost money. Others have had their personal information misused.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern.
In Nagaland, the situation is no different. The state has a highly literate population, with literacy rates often exceeding 90 percent. People are educated, informed, and quick to adapt to new technologies. Social media platforms are widely used. Digital payments are increasingly common.
Online communication has become a daily habit. Yet, this familiarity with technology often creates a false sense of safety.
It is common to see people using the same password across multiple accounts, storing sensitive information on unsecured devices, or clicking on links without verifying their source. Many are unaware of basic protections such as two-factor authentication, secure browsing practices, or recognising phishing attempts.
These behaviours are not due to lack of intelligence or awareness. They are the result of a missing layer in our digital ecosystem.
We have focused on teaching people how to use technology, but not how to protect themselves while using it.
One of the biggest misconceptions about cybersecurity is that it only concerns large organisations, government systems, or high-profile individuals. In reality, cyber threats are opportunistic. They do not discriminate. They look for the easiest point of entry.
A single weak password, an unverified link, or a misconfigured system is often enough.
In practical cybersecurity work, one observation becomes clear very quickly. Systems are rarely compromised because attackers use extremely advanced techniques. More often, they succeed because of simple oversights. Vulnerabilities exist not in complexity, but in how systems are configured, understood, and trusted. This is where the real risk lies.
When a society becomes digitally active without becoming digitally secure, it creates an environment where threats can spread quietly and quickly.
The discussion around establishing a Chief Minister’s technology hub is an important development. It reflects ambition and a forward-looking mindset. It has the potential to create opportunities, build skills, and position Nagaland as a contributor to the digital economy. But it also raises an important question. Will security be built into this vision from the beginning, or will it be treated as an afterthought?
Experience from across the world shows that security cannot be added later without significant cost and limitations. Systems that are built without cybersecurity considerations often require extensive restructuring after vulnerabilities are discovered. In many cases, the damage is already done by the time corrective measures are taken.
A technology hub without strong cybersecurity measures is not just incomplete. It is exposed.
For such initiatives to succeed, cybersecurity must be integrated into every stage of development. This includes planning, design, implementation, and ongoing management. It requires not just tools and software, but expertise, awareness, and accountability.
Another challenge that continues to exist is the gap between awareness and action. Cybersecurity is often discussed in conferences, seminars, and policy documents. It is acknowledged as important. Yet, in practical terms, it is rarely implemented in a consistent and structured manner. This gap is where most vulnerabilities emerge.
Security is not a one-time installation or a checkbox to be completed. It is an ongoing process that evolves with time. As technology changes, so do threats. Without continuous attention and adaptation, even well-built systems become outdated and vulnerable. This is why the involvement of cybersecurity professionals is not optional. It is essential.
Security requires specialised knowledge. It involves understanding how systems can fail, how attackers think, and where vulnerabilities are most likely to exist. General IT practices are not enough to address these challenges.
Nagaland has the opportunity to build something different. Instead of following a reactive approach, it can adopt a proactive one. This means involving cybersecurity professionals in government initiatives, creating advisory roles, investing in training and awareness, and encouraging local talent to develop expertise in this field. It also means recognising that cybersecurity is not just a technical responsibility. It is a shared responsibility.
Every individual who uses a smartphone, every business that operates online, and every institution that manages data plays a role in the overall security of the ecosystem. Digital transformation is not just about adopting technology. It is about adopting it responsibly.
The future of Nagaland’s digital growth will not be determined by how many systems are built or how advanced they appear. It will be determined by how well those systems can withstand real-world challenges.
Technology brings opportunity, but it also brings risk. The goal is not to slow down progress, but to strengthen it. Not to avoid digital growth, but to secure it. Because in the end, progress without protection is not progress at all. It is simply vulnerability at scale.
And perhaps the most important question we need to ask ourselves is not whether we are ready for digital growth, but whether we are prepared for its consequences. Because every system we build, every platform we adopt, and every piece of data we generate becomes part of a larger digital footprint. A footprint that can be protected, or exposed. The difference lies not in technology, but in the choices we make today.
At some point, the question will no longer be whether cybersecurity matters. It will be whether we realised its importance before or after something went wrong. And by then, the answer may already be too late.
Pangerkumzuk Longkumer
(The writer is a Cybersecurity Specialist & Venture Builder)