iPolicy opens cyber security lab

Punita Jasrotia Phukan / New Delhi

The increasing usage of the Internet in all facets of businesses today has brought forth the critical issue of cyber security. Though a lot has been talked about this what the Indian market really needs is effective R&D in Net-based security technologies which address the issue of unified security solutions. Considering this, iPolicy Networks, a company offering solutions on network-based intrusion prevention has recently announced the launch of the Prabhu Goel Centre for Computer and Internet Security at IIT, Kanpur. The centre will serve as a nodal R&D centre in India for all aspects of computer security and develop state-of-the-art security tools, algorithms and processes for governmental and non-governmental organisations. It will also undertake product and research-oriented projects to develop security-audit tools, non-password authentication systems, wireless security, steganalysis, etc. The company officials claim it is the first ‘cyber security centre’ in India.

Stressing on the need for unified security solutions, Dr Prabhu Goel, chairman, iPolicy Networks India said that in today’s times the Internet has become a secure way of communication with more and more intelligence applications going on the Internet. All this has made Internet security vital for India’s commercial, defence and infrastructure interests. “It is no longer practical or judicious to rely on piecemeal solutions and traditional security products, which do not interoperate effectively and leave vulnerable gaps open to hackers and intruders. We believe what is critical from a national perspective to have is is our own home-grown solutions to ensure that data network security is not compromised,” he said. According to Dr Goel, what is needed is more of intrusion prevention rather than detection. The centre would be working in areas like cryptography, PickPacket, intrusion detection, wireless 802.11 security, smart card technologies, etc. Dr Goel, who is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, has given a grant of $1 million to the institute.

Besides opening the centre, the company is also looking at expanding operations in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East region for which India will act as a regional hub. According to the strategy, iPolicy would be opening different sales and marketing offices in countries like Japan, China, Korea, Australia and Hong Kong and expanding their channel base in India.