Nasscom Warns IT Firms to Strengthen Cybersecurity as Iran Conflict Raises Global Cyber Risk

India’s IT industry body Nasscom has advised technology companies to strengthen cybersecurity frameworks and operational preparedness as geopolitical tensions escalate in West Asia following the conflict involving Iran.

In a fresh advisory to its member companies, Nasscom said organisations should increase vigilance and review business continuity plans, warning that periods of geopolitical uncertainty often increase the risk of cyberattacks and operational disruptions.

The advisory comes amid a widening conflict in the region after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks, raising concerns over regional stability and potential disruptions to global infrastructure, trade routes and technology operations.

Focus on resilience and continuity

Nasscom said companies should activate contingency plans and ensure operational readiness in regions that could be affected by the evolving situation. Firms are also being encouraged to prioritise employee safety by enabling remote work for staff in affected areas and monitoring developments closely.

The industry body also recommended that companies review alternative routing options for cloud infrastructure and data-centre operations to ensure resilience and protect critical systems in the event of disruptions.

Cybersecurity risks expected to rise

According to Nasscom, geopolitical crises often lead to a surge in coordinated cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and attempts to target critical infrastructure. As a result, companies have been urged to reinforce cybersecurity measures across their networks.

The advisory recommends several immediate steps, including resetting compromised credentials, accelerating software patching, auditing supply chains and enforcing multi-factor authentication on external access systems.

Companies have also been asked to assess risks linked to third-party vendors operating in the Middle East, warning that a compromised supplier could potentially disrupt the broader technology ecosystem.

Preparedness for cyberattacks

To handle potential spikes in cyber incidents, Nasscom advised companies to coordinate with internet service providers and cloud platforms to ensure adequate capacity for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) mitigation and traffic filtering.

A DDoS attack involves overwhelming a server or network with large volumes of internet traffic from compromised devices, potentially disrupting access to digital services.

The advisory also emphasised the need for employee awareness programs to guard against social-engineering attacks that may exploit war-related misinformation or fake government alerts.

Markets react to rising tensions

The geopolitical tensions have already affected financial markets. Investor sentiment weakened amid fears of disruptions to oil supplies, global logistics and technology infrastructure.

India’s benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty fell sharply in early trading as crude-oil prices surged and global equities showed a bearish trend.

Nasscom said it will continue monitoring the situation and remain in contact with regional industry groups to support member companies and employees operating in the Middle East.

The advisory reflects growing concerns that geopolitical conflicts can spill into cyberspace, potentially affecting companies far beyond the immediate region of conflict.