Vulnerability of being Digital also grows @ worrying Pace in INDIA

Vulnerability of being Digital also grows @ worrying Pace in INDIA

Hacking of academic institutions websites and social media accounts of several popular politicians, businessmen or journalists of India draws attention to larger cyber vulnerability in last few days. With demonetization pushing Indians to adopt e-platforms at great pace, this vulnerability is also growing fast. Government must show that it takes cybercrimes as seriously as digitizing India, which means not just passing tough laws but also implementing them strictly. Pursue and punish the criminals whether it is the hacking of websites & social account or digital fraud of a few hundred rupees.
There was a big breach of financial data breach in October 2016 as 3.2 million Indian debit cards were reported to have been compromised. Even as that investigation continues, demonetization has sent e-banking and e-wallets on the up and up with inadequate digital literacy to cope with this shift. When even literate email users still keep clicking away @ links from unknown, malicious and dangerous sources, it’s certain that many of the small vendors signing up for available digital wallets today don’t really know how to protect themselves against data fraud.

Government has to take immediate steps to educating people about how to stay safe in this new digital world.

These are attractive & favorable conditions for cyber criminals. The country’s nodal agency has warned that at present micro ATMs and point of sale terminals are particularly vulnerable to hackers. All this is due to pre-existing laxity in basic safeguards like strong unique passwords, being careful about using public WiFi and securing home WiFi, encrypting important data, and downloading only authorized software.
Huge public databases (Kept by Govt.) must be kept hugely safe. Yet the right to privacy still hasn’t been enacted into a distinct law. In the long run expanding and securing the country’s digital infrastructure should deliver smarter e-governance and a better business environment. But the only way India will get there is if it’s tough on cybercrimes and steadfast in building digital literacy.