Cyber Security Issues in India
Abstract :
Over the past year, India has experienced a number of noteworthy and unusual occurrences that
have elevated the importance of cyber security for the country's banking industry to a level never
seen before. The Government of India's current endeavor, known as the flagship Digital India
programme has been the most significant contributor in this regard. The programme aims to
convert India into a knowledge economy and society that is enabled by technology. The abrupt
increase in digital transaction value and volume, which reached all-time highs in March 2017, is
evidence of the faster transition to electronic payments. With the total number of accounts
surpassing 29.18 crore the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has contributed to the
ongoing expansion in inclusive banking penetration, bringing new and uninitiated customers into
the fold of financial services. Incidents and risk concerns also became apparent. The penetration
of a major bank's SWIFT payment application and the ensuing large-value fraudulent fund
transfer were two of the significant occurrences. Another was the widespread compromise of
numerous banks' debit cards through a sophisticated and persistent attack on a payment
processor.
Introduction :
The Greek term kubernētēs, which means pilot or steersman, is where the word "cyber" first
appeared in the field of cybernetics.In actuality, American mathematician Norbert Wiener
popularized it. In the 1940s, he wrote a book titled Cybernetics. This was his forecast for a world
where autonomous PCs rule everything. framework that would develop further and have its own
feedback loop. Actually, the term "cyber" didn't start to be associated with other phrases that
indicated anything to do with digital until the 1980s. Cyberspace is "associated with or typified
by computers, virtual reality, or information technology. When we say that we live in the "cyber
age," we're referring to the information technology, virtual reality, and analyst era. The cyber
universe is growing, just like the actual cosmos.
When hackers attempt to compromise or harm a computer system or network, it's called a cyber
attack. The imaginary space where computer network communication takes place is known as
"cyber space." The phrase first appeared in popular culture in science fiction. However, a lot of
individuals utilize it now, including corporate leaders, security experts, and technological
strategists in addition to the military. Cyberspace is the term we use to characterize the domain
of the global technological environment. Man is now completely dependent on the Internet for all
of his requirements due to technological advancements, which has an impact on both the
individual and the larger society. It has made it possible for man to easily access everything
while seated in one place. Everything a person could possibly want—social networking, online
shopping, data storage, gaming, online education, and online employment opportunities—is
possible with the aid of the Internet. It is consumed and used in every manner imaginable. With
the growth of the internet and all of its benefits came the concept of cybercrimes. The founding
fathers had no clue at all when the Internet was initially developed that it could be abused by
criminal activity. A few years ago, people were unaware of the infractions that could be done via
the internet. When invention grows, so does the misuse of it.
has expanded to the perfect extent. The amount of cybercrime has skyrocketed from the year
2000. Cybercrimes can endanger the financial stability of an organization, the security of a
nation, or even a single person. India is Comparably not far behind other countries where the
frequency of digital infractions is rising daily.
CYBER CRIME:
Any malefactor or other offense involving electronic communications, information systems, the
web, or any combination of these can be classified as "Cyber Crime" .Cybercrime is any crime
that involves a network and a framework, or system. The computer could have been the object or
goal of the crime, or it could have been used in its commission. Digital crimes are actions
committed with the intent to hurt a person or people, primarily through the use of contemporary
telecommunications, with the goal of intentionally harming the victim's reputation or causing
them physical or psychological distress. For instance, notice feeds, emails, texts, cell phones, and
Web chat rooms. The security and economic stability of the nation are threatened by these kinds
of crimes. These kinds of crimes are among the most well-known issues, particularly those
involving copyright violations, hacking, and child pornography. When confidential information
is suppressed or made public, whether through legal means or not, there are further security risks.
Cybercrime incidences have increased astronomically as a result of the massive rise in online
share trading and electronic commerce (e-commerce).
Cyber Crimes can be mainly divided into 3 major classifications:
Cyber Crimes against persons
Cyber Crimes against property
Cyber Crimes against government
Cybercrimes against Persons:
Cybercrimes against people encompass a range of acts, including the dissemination of child
pornography and the harassment of individuals via computer-related activities like email.
Trading, sharing, uploading, and dispersing pornographic and indecent public nudity content is
one of the most significant forms of cybercrime that exists today. These crimes do not cause
much harm to humanity. This cybercrime poses a threat to the next generation's development
because, if left unchecked, it will leave the younger generation with permanent wounds and
scars. A distinct kind of cybercrime is cyber harassment. Harassment in the many forms can and
does happen in cyberspace or when using cyberspace. Harassment might be ethnic, religious,
sexual, or other types. Individuals who engage in this kind of harassment are also breaking the
law online. Cyber bullying has the potential to spread crime to other connected areas where
citizens' privacy is violated. Cybercrime that involves violating the privacy of internet users is
very severe. Nobody enjoys having their most sensitive and priceless privacy—which citizens
have access to over the Internet—attacked by others.
Cybercrimes against Property:
Cybercrimes against any kind of property are the second category of cyber attacks. Computer
vandalism, or the destruction of another person's property, is one type of crime. Other crimes
include sending harmful programs, stealing money from financial institutions, and stealing
confidential data and information. A start-up company in Mumbai suffered significant financial
losses after a corporate cyber spy helped the rival organization, a prominent player in the
industry, steal the technical database from their PCs.
Cybercrimes against Government:
The growth of the internet has shown that individuals and organizations are using cyberspace as
a means of posing a danger to both national and international governments as well as to its
citizens. When someone "crashes" into a website run by the government, the military, or another
entity, this crime turns into terrorism.
CYBER CRIME IN INDIA:
India is ranked third globally among the top 20 countries where cybercrimes occur, according to
the United States Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's
2019 Internet Crime Report. The United Kingdom led the list, with 93,796 victims of
cybercrimes, followed by Canada (3,721) and India (2,901), the report states, excluding the
United States.
The latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that 27,248 incidents of
cyber attack were reported in India in 2018. At about the same time, 1,205 cyber attack
incidences were registered in Telangana. Since its launch a year ago, the Central government's
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal has received 33,152 complaints, resulting in the filing of
790 FIRs. The IT Act does not exclusively address cybercrime. The Indian Penal Code also has
several sections.
Following are the few examples of Cybercrime in India:
E-Mail Bomb: An example of an Internet abuse is a "e-mail bomb," which is when a specific email
address is bombarded with a high number of emails with the intention of overloading the mail
server, crashing the service, and flooding the inbox.
Hacking: Hacking is the attempt to abuse a private network or a PC framework. In essence, it
refers to unauthorized access to or control over PC security frameworks for illicit purposes.
Hackers with advanced skills in breaching security systems carry it out.
Spreading computer viruses: A PC infection is a hostile application that is loaded onto a
client's PC without the client's knowledge and engages in destructive operations, such as erasing
data. It can proliferate via email, the web, multimedia, and pen drives (secondary storage).
Phishing: It is a type of cybercrime in which a person poses as a legitimate business and sends
emails, phone calls, or instant messages to one or more targets in an attempt to trick them into
divulging sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, banking information,
and identifiable information. This information is then utilized to access important records, which
may result in widespread fraud, identity theft, and financial loss.
Identity theft: The act of obtaining someone else's personal or financial information with the sole
intent of using that person's name or identity for transactions or purchases is known as identity
theft. It entails gaining access to business databases in order to purloin client lists and destroy
credit and private information. The offender faces the possibility of serving three years in prison
of any kind in addition to a fine of up to one lakh rupees as punishment.
CYBER SECURITY:
Hackers breach a hospital's patient data, make derogatory remarks about a political figure on
social media, and compromise the power grid. Despite their apparent differences, all of these
scenarios may fall under the category of cyber security. Businesses and the government in
particular often define cyber security. Cyber security is the definition of methods and procedures
used to safeguard data. It is relevant to digital data. Data on a server, network, or system that is
being used, saved, or communicated .The lifeblood of cyberspace is information. Massive
amounts of data, from personal to high-level state communication, are transferred across
networks and stored on devices and data centers. It would be impossible to discuss cyber security
without bringing up technology.
"Cyber-security" is defined under the IT Act, 2000 as the protection provided to devices and data
stored on them against "unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or
destruction."
Governmental organizations and cyber security regulations:
1) The primary organization tasked with safeguarding the nation's vital infrastructure and
managing cyber security events in key industries is the National Technical Research
Organization.
2) The responsibility for responses, such as analysis, projections, and alerts regarding cyber
security breaches and issues, rests with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team.
Techniques for Cyber security
1. Strong Password Security: The simplest way to increase system security is to use a complex
and strong password. For instance, a password that consists of letters, numbers, and special
characters. Updating it frequently can assist in preventing brute force password cracking.
2. Knowledge authentication: Update frequently and use caution when using: Use caution when
using email and the internet as hackers and programmers can misuse them in many ways.A
system update and regular backup program are fantastic ways to ensure that your data can be
retrieved, as well as to safeguard and fix any errors or flaws in the system.
3. Malware scanners: Programs that check all files on the device for dangerous viruses and
malicious code. Malicious software samples that are frequently grouped together and referred to
as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are called malware.
4. Firewalls: A piece of hardware or software that assists in sifting out viruses, worms, and
hackers who try to infect your device through the internet. Every message entering or leaving the
internet is screened by the firewall, which checks each one for compliance with safety
regulations and bans any that don't.
5. Anti-virus software - Installing anti-virus software is essential to preventing viruses from
infecting your computer network. It aggressively checks your system documents and emails for
viruses that could infect your operating system. A decent antivirus program should be compatible
with the system and update on a regular basis.
Cyber ethics and countermeasures against cyber attacks:
It alludes to the online code of conduct for responsible behavior. The basic rule is to attempt to
avoid doing anything online that you would view as improper or unlawful.
1. Use the internet to communicate and share with others. Keeping in touch with friends, family,
and coworkers is made easier with email and texting. distributing fresh ideas, ideas, and
knowledge to people in the neighborhood or worldwide.
2. Never communicate or share personal information, such as your password, bank account
number, ATM pin, or other details, via an unencrypted network, including unencrypted mail. The
decoded websites are those that lack the lock icon and https in the browser's address bar. The
letter "s," which stands for "secure," indicates that the website is safe and secure.
3. Wait till a social networking site or platform is genuine and legitimate before signing up.
4. Always remember to upgrade and refresh the operating system. On one's computer, software
such as firewalls, antivirus, and anti-spyware programs should be installed and updated often.
5. Don't browse, follow, or reply to unscrupulous websites or links.
6. Avoid using the Internet to harass or intimidate anyone. Avoid using derogatory words or
phrases. It is improper to disparage someone, email offensive or embarrassing images of them,
call them names, or try to harm them.
7. The Internet is regarded as the world's largest library, containing knowledge on every topic in
any field of study. Thus, make appropriate and lawful use of this data.
8. Never give out your password to third parties and never use someone else's password to access
another person's account.
9. Never give out your personal information to anyone because there's a good chance someone
else may misuse it and you'll be held accountable.
10. Avoid clicking on pop-ups on e-commerce websites or any other website that offer site
surveys or studies, as they may contain harmful software. Drive-by-download is the term for the
background download that happens when we accept or click on pop-ups. This file contains
malware and malicious code.
11. Never lose copyrighted information, and only download games or videos that are permitted.
12. Never try to infect another person's computer with malware of any kind.
13. Refrain from using false identities and creating accounts under false pretenses, since this
could put both you and the other person in danger.
These are a few Cyber Morals that one should abide by when using the internet. From a very
young age, we adopt suitable values and behaviors in our life, and the same is true in the cyber
realm.
CONCLUSION :
India, a nation of 1.3 billion people, has the cheapest data plans worldwide. With the
advancement of networks, data and information security is becoming increasingly crucial. This
study makes it very evident that as technology and cyberspace advance, so will the range of
cyber threats. To protect data, one must implement cyber security measures such as firewalls,
strong passwords, antivirus software, and cyber attack prevention techniques. India has to switch
from a reactive to a proactive strategy to cyber system protection. Currently, the country only
protects cyber systems when cyber security incidents arise. since it is now necessary. To preserve
the rule of law, protection of rights and privacy requires awareness, firm modifications, penal
provisions, and cyber security policies. These are all necessary.
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