500% increase in cyber crimes in India: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval

Guwahati: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval has claimed that there has been an increase of 500% in cyber crimes due to limited awareness and cyber hygiene. He said this while making the key-note address via video conferencing at the two-day virtual cyber conference, ‘COCONXII- 2020’.

Doval also asserted the fact that following the coronavirus outbreak, financial frauds have seen massive growth. This is mainly due to an increased dependence on digital payment platforms.

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The NSA also informed that the Centre is also planning to come up with the National cybersecurity strategy- 2020 which envisions the trusted, secured, safe, vibrant, and resilient cyberspace for India’s prosperity.

He was delivering a lecture on cyber security at the conference which is data privacy and hacking conference hosted by the Kerala Police and the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace and Information Security Research Association.

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Doval stated, “There is a greater dependence on digital payment platform due to reduced cash handling and greater data sharing is happening online and presence on social media has also increased. While we are able to manage our affairs online to a certain extent, malicious actors also found in it, a new opportunity. We have witnessed an increase of 500 percent in cybercrimes due to limited awareness and poor cyber hygiene.”

Doval, citing an example stated that within a couple of hours of the PM cares fund declaration by Narendra Modi, a few phony Arogya Setu apps have already started popping up to exploit data/information.

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He added that the adversaries are always tempted to exploit the crises through various fake news and misinformation as well. The huge cache of cyber data that is floating in cyberspace is nothing short of a gold mine of information extraction which can undermine the privacy of citizens he stated.

Cautioning civilians, Doval said that one must always take a responsible approach while using the internet.