New Delhi : PNB, today hosted the Prize Distribution Ceremony of the “Code Against Malware” Hackathon at its Head Office. The hackathon was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, under the guidance of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), with the objective of fostering innovation in cybersecurity and engaging India’s young technical talent.
The ceremony was graced by Shri M. Nagaraju, IAS, Secretary, DFS as Chief Guest, alongside Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur; Shri Atul Kumar Goel, Chief Executive, IBA; and the Bank’s Managing Director & CEO, among other distinguished dignitaries, faculty members, jury members, and student participants.
Launched in December 2024, the “Code Against Malware” hackathon invited student teams from IIT Kanpur and other premier institutions to develop endpoint security solutions to detect ransomware using behavioural analysis, artificial intelligence, and heuristic techniques.
The initiative received an enthusiastic response with 90 registrations, of which 15 teams progressed to the development phase. Seven working prototypes were submitted and evaluated.
In his address, the Chief Guest, Shri M. Nagaraju, highlighted the growing importance of cybersecurity in the banking sector, noting that such initiatives align with the national goal of building resilience against emerging digital threats.
MD & CEO, in his remarks, underscored the institution’s commitment to driving innovation, strengthening cyber defences, and promoting collaboration between industry and academia.
The winners of the hackathon, along with winners from similar initiatives across other public sector banks, will be provided an opportunity to showcase their solutions at the Global Fintech Festival (GFF) 2025 in Mumbai.
PNB is one of India’s leading public sector banks, committed to delivering cutting-edge financial services and pioneering innovations in cybersecurity, digital payments, and financial inclusion. The Bank has been recognized with multiple awards, including Winner – Cyber Security Team of the Year, Winner – Incident Response Maturity, and Winner – Digital Payments Award (FY 2024–25).