THE U.S. CONSULATE GENRAL KOLKATA AND CUTS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER TO MITIGATE CYBER THREATS FOR WOMEN LED SMALL BUSINESSES IN DARJEELING

Darjeeling – With growing digitalization globally, more and more businesses are gradually shifting
to digital platform for doing business. There has been a concomitant rise in cybercrimes. Cyberattacks
through Malware, Phishing, Ransomware, etc. have become commonplace. According to a survey by
Kaspersky, about 48 percent of MSMEs have had data breaches owing to lack of understanding of
threats and the importance of cyber security in the MSMEs.
In this regard, CUTS International, in collaboration with the Directorate of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises, Government of West Bengal; and Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce and with the support
of the US Consulate Kolkata, organised a day long workshop for MSMEs, especially women-led
enterprises to equip them with knowledge and hands on training on how to identify and combat
cybersecurity threats, and become more cyber resilient. Representatives from more than 70 MSME
units, including more than 60 women-led enterprises in Darjeeling, participated at the workshop.
Arnab Ganguly, Policy Analyst, CUTS International, mentioned that adoption of digital technologies
have accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many MSMEs went online without the required
understanding and safeguards to combat cyber-attacks, rendering them vulnerable. Given that MSMEs
contribute roughly 30% of India’s GDP, it is an imperative to equip them with the knowledge and tools
to become resilient to cyber security breaches and grow their businesses sustainably.
Dawa Lhamu Phinjo, Executive Director, Department of Industries, Gorkha Territorial Administration,
Darjeeling underlined the need for organising a greater number of similar workshops for the
entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs who are already facing cyber security challenges.
Melinda Pavek, Consul General, US Consulate, Kolkata mentioned that the Biden-Harris
Administration has brought a relentless focus to improving U.S. cyber defenses, by building a
comprehensive approach to “lock our digital doors” and take aggressive action to strengthen and
safeguard the nation’s cybersecurity. She also mentioned that October was a Cybersecurity month in
the U.S. and the theme this year was “See yourself in cyber”. She further added that this year’s campaign
theme — “See Yourself in Cyber” — demonstrates that while cybersecurity may seem like a complex
subject, ultimately, it’s really all about people. In the US, focussing on the “people” part of
cybersecurity, requires providing information and resources to help educate Cybersecurity &
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) partners and the public, and ensure all individuals and
organizations make smart decisions whether on the job, at home or at school – now and in the future.
Vimal Mintri, President, Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce, mentioned that there are many
entrepreneurs in the rural areas who depend on digital systems, without knowing the risks.
Therefore, it is an imperative to impart the relevant knowledge and awareness among those
entrepreneurs on the risks of cyber-attack and how to combat with those threats.
As next steps, similar capacity building workshops will be organised at Gangtok, Itanagar and Shillong.
After the workshops, a Compendium of Cybersecurity of Best Practices will be released to help MSMEs
safely navigate the cyberspace and mitigate cyber risks.