Cybercrime Helpline Saves ₹6,000 Crore, Yet Experts Urge MSMEs to Strengthen Digital Safety

As Indian businesses rapidly adopt digital tools, experts are warning that cybercrime has become one of the biggest threats facing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) today. At a recent session organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), industry leaders and cybersecurity specialists called on MSMEs to strengthen digital safety practices to safeguard operations, finances, and customer trust.

With mobile phones, laptops, apps, and cloud accounts now central to business operations, hackers can disrupt supply chains, freeze payments, and damage reputations in minutes. Experts stressed that protecting data today is just as vital as securing physical assets such as cash, shops, or warehouses.

Key takeaways from the session

Sanjay Bahl, Director General of CERT-In, underlined that MSMEs deal with highly sensitive customer and supplier data and must therefore build stronger safeguards. CERT-In, as the national nodal agency for cybersecurity, is actively issuing alerts, training material, and resources designed specifically for small businesses. Adding to this, Jagannath Sahoo, CISO of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd., described cybercrime as the fastest-growing “business” worldwide, and urged MSMEs to adopt protective habits as part of their daily operations.

NK Goyal, Chairman Emeritus of TEMA, likened digital safety to physical security, stressing that just as firms install fire alarms or locks, they must now adopt “digital locks” for their operations. Vinod Kumar Gupta of C-DOT highlighted that MSMEs remain vulnerable even to older threats such as the WannaCry malware because of skipped updates or lack of backups. He noted that C-DOT is developing affordable, homegrown solutions to help small businesses build resilience.

Government support was also underlined by Deepak Kumar from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), who revealed that India’s cyber helpline (1930) and reporting portal (cybercrime.gov.in) have already helped save ₹6,000 crore and protect 18 lakh citizens. However, with nearly 7,000 new cases being reported every day, he said collective efforts from government, banks, and businesses are critical. Neha Berlia of PHDCCI added that cyber hygiene is no longer optional, as international buyers increasingly assess not only product quality but also how securely Indian firms manage their digital processes.

Practical advice for MSMEs

Experts concluded that cyber safety doesn’t always require expensive tools—simple steps such as multi-factor authentication, regular data backups, verifying invoices, and keeping systems updated can drastically reduce risks.

As Jatinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General of PHDCCI, summed it up: “The goal is not complexity but effectiveness. MSMEs must focus on practical, everyday measures to protect themselves in the digital era.”