Palo Alto Networks Global State of Cloud-Native Security Survey

India Ranks 2nd in AI Adoption, with 58% Using AI for Code Optimization

Palo Alto Networks, the global leader in cybersecurity, has released its Cloud Native Security Report for 2024. The report, based on extensive research across 10 countries and insights from over 2,800 cloud security and DevOps professionals, highlights AI as both a driver for accelerated cloud application development and a significant security risk. Organizations must balance the innovative potential of AI with robust threat mitigation strategies.

Key findings for India include:

– High AI Adoption: India ranks second in AI adoption, with 58% of respondents using AI extensively for code generation and optimization. Leading the list is Singapore (60%), followed by India (58%) and Brazil (57%). Germany (52%) and Japan (51%) show a more moderate approach.

– AI-Powered Threats: 43% of security professionals predict AI-powered threats will bypass traditional detection methods, and 47% foresee AI-fueled supply chain attacks compromising critical software or cloud services.

– Tool Consolidation Challenges: Organizations are using an average of 16 cloud security tools from 14 vendors. 91% of global respondents highlight the challenge of managing these disparate tools, which create blind spots and hinder risk prioritization and threat prevention.

– Focus on Legacy Application Optimization: In India, 42% of respondents allocate 30% or more of their cloud Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to optimizing legacy applications for the cloud. This focus ensures that older systems integrate seamlessly with cloud technologies to maximize cloud computing benefits.

– Cloud Spending Trends: India (41%), Brazil (40%), and Japan (43%) have a significant proportion of organizations investing below $10 million in cloud computing, indicating the presence of small to medium-sized organizations with conservative spending strategies. In contrast, mature markets like the United States and the United Kingdom invest more heavily, while Australia, Mexico, and Singapore show high cloud spending in higher investment brackets. France and Germany exhibit a mature yet cautious approach, with investments mainly in the €9 million to €46 million range.

Anil Valluri, MD & VP India & SAARC at Palo Alto Networks, commented: “The Cloud Native Security Report for 2024 underscores both the immense potential and critical challenges facing India’s cloud computing landscape. With rapid AI adoption, India is on the brink of a tech revolution promising unprecedented innovation and efficiency. However, emerging threats like AI-powered attacks pose significant risks. To fully leverage cloud computing and AI while safeguarding against these threats, India must balance innovation with robust security measures, policy development, and comprehensive, consolidated security solutions.”