Everything is a Canary: Rethinking Alerts in a World of Noise
In the early days of mining, canaries were the lifeline. One sound, one signal, and lives could be saved.
Today, in our digital mines — the banking halls, hospitals, and data centres of India — we face the opposite problem. Instead of one clear warning, security operations centres (SOCs) are buried under thousands of alerts every day. And when everything appears urgent, the real dangers can slip through unnoticed — putting critical systems, sensitive data, and even lives at risk.
This isn’t a theoretical issue. It’s here, it’s happening, and it’s only getting louder. Fraudsters are faster, threats are more creative, and the stakes are higher. For India, where digital adoption is advancing at breakneck speed, the danger of missing the real signal is not merely technical — it’s economic, social, and human too.
A single missed alert can cost crores — as seen in the recent surge of banking frauds reported by the RBI — or disrupt essential services, like the ransomware attack in 2023 that brought AIIMS hospital systems to a standstill. Yet, too many security teams remain stuck fighting the noise.
Recent studies show that more than half the alerts hitting SOCs are false positives. Many centres report handling thousands of alerts daily — with between 40 and 67 per cent routinely ignored once queues become overwhelming. Think about that: half the time, the system is crying wolf. And when queues spill over, some teams admit to ignoring alerts altogether — a dangerous coping mechanism.
So, the question is: how do we rise above the noise?
For me, the answer lies in rethinking alerts — not as a flood of red flags, but as a system built on clarity, focus, and confidence.
Filter the noise
Security leaders don’t wake up in the morning hoping for more alerts. They want the right ones — the ones that matter. The real shift now is from sheer volume to context: platforms that cut through duplication, prioritise intelligently, and surface genuine risks.
Increasingly, that clarity is being driven by AI-enabled correlation and pattern recognition, which can sift through thousands of signals and elevate the handful that truly demand attention. And that’s what turns doubt into decisive action.
Accelerate the response
The hidden cost of alert fatigue isn’t just long queues — it’s hesitation. When every screen flashes red, the instinct is to second-guess: Is this the one I need to worry about?
Smarter alerting restores conviction. It helps teams act faster because they know the signal in front of them is worth their attention. In sectors like banking and healthcare, that speed isn’t about metrics—it’s about trust.
Protect human bandwidth
Behind every SOC dashboard is a person. And people burn out when the noise never stops. I’ve spoken with leaders who say their teams are tired, disengaged, or even walking away. We cannot afford to lose that talent.
Smarter observability gives analysts back their focus. It frees them from endless triage so they can do the work that truly matters — solving problems, not chasing ghosts. That’s how resilience is buit: not just in systems, but in people.
Adapt to India’s pace
No country is scaling digital adoption like India. From UPI to AI-driven platforms, we’re moving faster than almost anyone else. That speed brings opportunity — but also scrutiny.
Fraudsters are using AI, regulators are tightening expectations, and consumers are more connected than ever. In this environment, alerts can’t simply be loud — they must be precise, contextual, and adaptive to India’s unique pace.
Getting this right isn’t just about reducing risk. It’s about giving businesses the confidence to keep innovating in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
A quiet finale in a noisy World
India’s digital rise is something to be proud of. But pride alone won’t protect us. The cost of missed signals — whether in a bank, a hospital, or a start-up — is rising.
The future of cyber defence won’t be judged by how many alarm systems it can generate, but by how well it helps us act—with speed, clarity, and conviction—when it counts.
That’s when observability stops being merely about monitoring and becomes about foresight.
And that’s the shift India needs — right now.
