c0c0n 2026, Kerala Police’s cybersecurity and hacking conference, was inaugurated in Kochi on Friday with more than 200 speakers and 3,000 participants expected to discuss emerging digital threats, artificial intelligence misuse and fraud prevention.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala inaugurated the two-day conference, which is being conducted across six tracks. The event brings together law-enforcement officials, policymakers, cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers to examine vulnerabilities affecting digital systems and online users.
Addressing the inaugural session, Chennithala said threat actors were increasingly using ransomware, malware and cyber theft. He stressed the need for closer coordination between ethical hackers and law-enforcement agencies to respond to vulnerabilities and strengthen cybersecurity measures.
The minister also referred to the continuing controversy around Pegasus spyware. “There are so many case studies in our day-to-day discussion about Pegasus. There are a lot of discussions on Pegasus, how Pegasus is operating even in the biggest, largest democratic country in the world, India,” Chennithala said. He added that such developments raised questions about threats to normal life.
State Bank of India chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty said the bank’s cybersecurity systems had helped prevent potential fraud losses of approximately Rs 28,000 crore during the 2025–26 financial year. He said real-time rules prevented suspicious transactions estimated at around Rs 1,000 crore, while transactions involving watch-listed accounts helped avert potential losses of approximately Rs 27,000 crore.
The figures presented by SBI placed fraud prevention within the wider discussion on protecting increasingly digital financial services. The conference’s agenda also focuses on how new technologies are being used to conduct phishing attacks and create deepfakes, adding new challenges for institutions responsible for public safety and digital infrastructure.
Deputy National Security Adviser T V Ravichandran said the growth of cybercrime was paralleling industrial and technological advancement. He called for robust cybersecurity solutions and cooperation among policymakers, police and ethical hackers to protect the country’s digital infrastructure.
State police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar said the conference had continued to play a role in building awareness about digital threats. DGP (vigilance and anti-corruption bureau) Manoj Abraham delivered the vote of thanks. Discussions will continue through the two-day programme across its six tracks.
