Cybersecurity Seminar

In today’s hyper-connected digital economy, a company's greatest asset—its data—is also its greatest liability. While tech headlines are filled with tales of sophisticated hacks, the frontline of corporate defense is often not in the server room, but in the boardroom. It is the executives, managers, and financial officers who are the prime targets of complex social engineering and business email compromise schemes.

Recognizing this critical gap, NEXUS, the newly inaugurated cybersecurity cell of Christ (Deemed to be University), Pune - Lavasa Campus, has launched its mission to spread cyber awareness. For its very first outreach initiative, the group set its sights not on a technical audience, but on the future business leaders at the Lotus Business School.

The event, an engaging seminar tailored specifically for MBA students, aimed to demystify cybersecurity, translating it from technical jargon into a core business imperative. The session was expertly conceptualized and led by two of NEXUS’s founding members, Swastik Pandey (1BScES) and Aditya Tiwari (1MScDS), who brought a valuable blend of undergraduate enthusiasm and postgraduate expertise. This student-led initiative was meticulously guided by the faculty mentorship of Lekha Ma'am and Savithri Ma'am, ensuring the content was both accurate and impactful.

Pandey and Tiwari delved deep into the anatomy of corporate attack vectors, moving far beyond common knowledge of viruses. They dissected the mechanisms of sophisticated spear-phishing campaigns, the devastating financial and reputational impact of ransomware, and the subtle art of social engineering that preys on human trust—a currency MBA students know well.

Furthermore, the seminar navigated the complex landscape of cybersecurity laws. The NEXUS team effectively argued that for modern managers, compliance with data privacy regulations (like the GDPR or India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act) is not just an IT problem, but a fundamental business function tied directly to risk, ethics, and brand reputation.

However, the seminar's true "wow" moment came from its practical, hands-on demonstrations. The NEXUS team brought theory to life, eliciting gasps from the audience with a live SMS spoofing demonstration. As attendees watched a message appear on a phone, seemingly from a trusted source but actually originating from the presenters, the abstract threat of "phishing" became tangibly real.

This was followed by interactive TryHackMe simulations. This gamified platform allowed the MBA students to step into a controlled environment and see vulnerabilities from an attacker's perspective. This masterstroke transformed passive listeners into active participants, driving home the core concepts in a way no PowerPoint slide ever could.

The event at Lotus Business School was more than just a successful first outing for NEXUS; it was a powerful proof of concept. It demonstrated a clear understanding that in the 21st century, cybersecurity literacy is not just for the IT department—it is an essential skill for all. This impactful initiative marks a strong and promising start for NEXUS, and their mission to spread crucial cyber awareness has only just begun.