IIT (ISM) Dhanbad Hosts National Cybersecurity Bootcamp on Secure Communications

At a time when cyber threats are growing in scale and sophistication, the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, has launched a seven-day bootcamp aimed at strengthening the country’s cybersecurity talent base.

The programme, titled “Foundations of Secure Communications Using Cryptography”, began on Thursday at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and will run till 18 February. It is being conducted under the ISEA Project Phase-III of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, reflecting the Centre’s push to build skilled manpower in digital security.

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The inaugural session was presided over by Prof Chiranjeev Kumar, Head of the Department of CSE, who underlined the urgency of preparing professionals capable of addressing emerging digital threats. With the cybersecurity landscape evolving rapidly, he noted that institutions must move beyond conventional teaching models and equip students with practical capabilities to safeguard digital infrastructure.

Prof Sachin Tripathi, under whose leadership the bootcamp is being organised, said the initiative aligns with MeitY’s broader vision under ISEA Phase-III to generate skilled human resources in cybersecurity while promoting awareness, research and capacity building. The response to the programme was significant, with 191 applications received, of which 63 participants were selected.

“Our emphasis is not confined to theory. The focus will be strongly on hands-on learning,” he said, adding that cryptography, data security, and network security form the core areas of the training.

The bootcamp began with an introductory lecture on the basics of cryptography, followed by a practical session introducing participants to hardware platforms. Over the next six days, sessions will cover RSA and its common attacks, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), hash functions, digital signatures, secure communication protocols, packet capturing, server logs, Security Operations Centre (SOC) rules, web application vulnerabilities and denial-of-service attacks.

Participants will also receive training in widely used security tools such as Wireshark, Burp Suite and Kali Linux. The programme will conclude with a Capture the Flag (CTF) contest designed to test practical skills in simulated attack and defence scenarios.

The emphasis on cryptography reflects its growing strategic importance. Encryption technologies such as RSA and AES are central to securing financial transactions, digital communications and government systems. In an era marked by data breaches, ransomware attacks and cyber espionage, secure communications have become a matter not just of technological competence but of national resilience.

By integrating classroom instruction with simulated real-world challenges, the institute aims to prepare students for advanced research as well as industry roles in secure communications. The competitive selection process also points to rising interest among young professionals in cybersecurity careers, a field that has seen expanding opportunities across government agencies, technology firms and start-ups.

The initiative places IIT (ISM) Dhanbad among institutions contributing to India’s broader digital security architecture. As the country advances deeper into digital governance and online service delivery, efforts to train skilled cyber professionals are likely to assume even greater importance.

The bootcamp seeks to lay strong foundations in cryptographic algorithms, secure system design and practical cybersecurity skills, reinforcing the role of academic institutions in supporting national cyber preparedness.