Day 54 – Q 2.Examine in detail the threats emerging in the cyber ecosystem of India.
2. Examine in detail the threats emerging in the cyber ecosystem of India.
भारत के साइबर पारिस्थितिक तंत्र में उभरते खतरों की विस्तार से जांच करें।
INTRODUCTION
Cyber Security is a complex issue is a complex issue that cuts across multiple domains and calls for multi-dimensional, multi layered initiatives and responses. The entire Cyber Ecosystem comprising of almost any use of information and technology is susceptible to cyber threat. In the age of Information Technology which is now used in every walk of life, cyber security is very important to keep the trust intact. According to NASCOM about- 2/3rd of Indian Internet is becoming victim of a cyber threat in the digitalized world.
BODY
Cyber Ecosystem consists of the following components –
- Use of Information and technology for various e-governance projects.
- Use of Social media – for personal use, use by companies and even government departments.
- Use of ICT for various types of monetary transaction- like use of online banking, use of online transactions via- Paytm, BHIM app etc.
- E-services and use of Information and Technology for effective delivery of goods.
The emerging threats in the cyber ecosystem can be categorized as follows-
- Economic threat-
- Issues like hacking online banking accounts, hacking Paytm accounts, forge transfers etc.
- Defense and Security threat
- Issues related to hacking of hacking government websites, hacking important documentation with respect to the army.
- Classified documents of National and international importance being hacked.
- Hacking of E-mail accounts of personal holding important places in defense.
- Political threat.
- Political parties using social media for false propaganda.
- They are using social media as a tool to shape narrative of the people.
- Focusing on Fake news and news that sell & paying less heed to issues of actual importance.
- Threats related to Terrorism.
- Terrorist organizations have started using social media to a large scale to propagate their ideology.
- Organization’s like the ISIS use social media to recruit youngsters.
- Hatred is being propagated by circulating the same message again and again.
- Terrorist organizations have become technologically very advanced, they have also started hacking important government websites to rope in classified information.
Threats are also seen in various technological aspects of the Cyber Ecosystem, the threats can be propagated by-
- Over Hardware- by impregnating ICs and chip-sets for spying.
- Over Software- various virus, malware, Trojan software and worm attacks being a regular issue. eg – WannaCry, Petya.
- Cyber Warfare being used by nations as a tool for War- eg. STUXNET by USA over Iran.
- Crypto Jacking – certain systems are hacked to carry out Bitcoin mining.
Use of Information and technology has changed human life in every possible way; right from drastically reducing the information asymmetry, empowering the voiceless, making the information reach people at distant places within minutes, to make transactions online and thus reducing the monetary transactions to being practically able to track every step of our lives. However, if Cyber Threat strike in any possible way, the trust of citizens gets breached to a large extent, it brings in hesitancy in using ICT in addition to the threats mentioned above. Thus, it is necessary to tackle the issue related to Cyber Security in the Cyber Ecosystem of India in every possible way, such as-
- By Strengthening Cyber Infrastructure
- By Training personal to tackle cyber threats.
- By spreading awareness about the do’s and dont’s for a normal user.
- By ensuring encryption of critical data.
- Proactive functioning of CERT-in.
- Ensuring inter departmental coordination
CONCLUSION
Thus, to ensure that use of Information and Technology is a boon to mankind in true sense, it is necessary to get rid of various threats which are emerging out of cyber threats. Almost all countries around the globe, especially India on account of its large cyber space, and huge digital divide and a large population which is very nascent stage in learning to take advantage of ICT, needs to step up its cyber defense to reap maximum advantage of Information and Technology.
BEST ANSWER: JOHN NASH
