Cyber Security Need of the hour: Group Discussion Topic for Airforce Phase2

Cyber security : Need of the Hour

It is the time when whole world is suffering from covid crisis. 

Currently government websites are being hacked, Banks also reported breach of confidential data from their servers,  the energy and nuclear power plants control systems are infected with virus Trojan and social media accounts of  celebrities being hacked. People are receiving text messages asking amount or money has been deducted from their bank accounts. The whole Nation is in a state of confusion.  It is clear that our country has become a victim of cyber attack and there has been 260% increase in cyber attacks since lockdown induced due to covid-19 pandemic. Due to increasing network and interconnectivity cyber attacks have become more common.  

Cyber attackers uses different methods for attacks. 

First, There are many financially motivated organised crime groups uses cyberspace as Warfare to hack business, Networks and demand money from users to fund their terrorist activities. 

Secondly there are some nation where people work directly or indirectly to the government to steal sensitive information from enemy countries like China, Pakistan and North Korea.  

Thirdly, there are activist groups whose intention is not to steal money but to promote their religions, politics and to impact the reputation of opposition. 

Forth, there are groups of people defined as 'insiders'  these people are not engaged in activities intentionally but they are blackmailed to do so, for example person being blackmailed by hackers to give access to his company details 

Commonly used method in Cyber attack

First  These attackers send email and ask the user to click on link and enter their personal data.  

Second, ransomware is a method where attackers uses purpose-built Malware to lock business Network and demand money from users to unlock their files. 

 Third method where attackers send huge volume of data or traffic through the network until it becomes overloaded and stops functioning. 

Consequences

First Data theft or access to secret information of Defence and other top agencies of our technicians to create mass destruction was one of the great consequence of Cyber attack. 

Secondly countries digital infrastructure will be college with huge traffic on server 

 Thirdly spread of fake news used by many activates with a view to cause communal tension and defend their opposition. sometime terrorist groups take this chance 

Measures taken by government to control these attacks 

1. Central government created an agency under IT Act 2000 namely Indian computer emergency response team (CERT-IN) to secure the digital infrastructure of countries from cyber attack.

 2. National Investigation Agency (NIA) Amendment Bill which adopt zero tolerance against terrorism passed by Loksabha.

3.  Government also issued various guidelines and precautions to be taken by general public to protect themselves from cyber warfare such as cyber awareness program among public and  insisting public to change password from time to time or not to share private information.