On 9th May 2025, the Technocraft Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence (TCA2I) hosted a focused Workshop on Security Trends in Telecom Networks at IIT Bombay, bringing together thought leaders from academia, industry, and government to discuss critical challenges and emerging solutions in telecom security.

The event witnessed active participation from over 50 attendees, including researchers, industry professionals, and policy experts, all keen to explore the evolving threat landscape and cutting-edge technologies shaping telecom security.

The day began with a welcome address by Prof. Manjesh Kumar Hanawal, Principal Investigator, TCA2I, followed by the inaugural address by the Associate Dean R&D- Prof. Leena Vachhani of IIT Bombay. The keynote session featured Shri Anand Khare, Member (Services), DoT, who emphasized the importance of strengthening security frameworks in India’s telecom infrastructure. Shri Ashish Chugh, Director, NCCS, DoT, shared key insights on regulatory perspectives and strategic imperatives.

The technical sessions highlighted pressing issues and emerging research:

• Website Fingerprinting Attacks- Prof. Neminath Hubballi, IIT Indore

• Securing 5G-Enabled IoT Networks- Prof. Vireshwar Kumar, IIT Delhi

 

• Cybersecurity in the Telco Landscape- Shri Salil Mittal, Reliance Jio

 

• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) Threats- Shri Sadhasivasubramanian H, IITM Pravartak

 

• AI/ML Security in Telecom- Mr. Rakshesh Bhatt, Nokia

 

• Overview of Cellular Network Security- Shri Pranav Jha, IIT Bombay

A compelling panel discussion on the ‘Evolving Threat Landscape in Telecom Networks’ featured experts from Tejas Networks, Techposis, and IIT Bombay, moderated by Prof. Manjesh Hanawal.

The final session of the day included a talk on Leveraging eBPF and AI to Combat Ransomware by Prof. Sameer Kulkarni, IIT Gandhinagar, and a live demonstration of VAJRA, an indigenous endpoint security tool. The event reaffirmed TCA2I’s commitment to fostering innovation and resilience in telecom networks through collaborative research and strategic partnerships.