Cyber security push: Indian firms eye specialised hiring as identity-driven threats rise; Rubrik report flags surge in AI-linked risks

Nearly 90% of Indian organisations are preparing to hire specialised professionals over the next year to strengthen digital identity management, infrastructure and cyber security frameworks, according to a Rubrik Zero Labs report released on Sunday.The study says the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is driving a surge in AI agents, leading to a sharp rise in both non-human and “agentic” identities, PTI reported. This shift has intensified the spotlight for CIOs and CISOs on identity-based vulnerabilities and recovery preparedness, the report titled Identity Crisis: Understanding & Building Resilience Against Identity-Driven Threats noted.“Attackers are now frequently targeting both human and non-human identities. It’s the fastest route to critical systems and data, fundamentally changing the face of Indian cyber defense,” said Ashish Gupta, Managing Director, India & Head of Engineering at Rubrik.The findings are based on a Wakefield Research survey of 1,625 IT security decision-makers from organisations with 500 or more employees, split equally between directors/VPs and CIOs/CISOs. The research covered the US, EMEA (the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands) and APAC (Japan, Australia, Singapore and India) between September 18 and 29, 2025.