Covid Awareness

MENTAL HEALTH AND CYBER CRIME DURING LOCKDOWN

“The Nazis destroyed the independence of the press by passing a series of draconian laws and it seems we are exactly imitating the same with the freedom of the internet bypassing Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill” (Arzak Khan)

The novel Coronavirus has indicated no signs of slowing down on its world tour, forcing nations to close borders and economies to suffer a backlash. Meanwhile, another seemingly invisible and overlooked menace is evolving fast into a global crisis. According to cyber security experts, hacking activities and cybercrimes are rising at an alarming rate as miscreants take advantage of the globe’s new-found dependence on the virtual world. From WHO to Cognizant to MSMEs, nobody is safe as the cybercriminals are not sparing anyone. Cyber-attacks have become as common as the Internet itself.

Each year, industry reports, media outlets, and academic articles highlight the increased prevalence of cybercrime attacks. Recently on May 9 in Bengaluru, Cybercriminals targeted the bank account of a Bengaluru hospital and siphoned off Rs 17 lakhs after cloning the official sim card attached to it and adding unknown members as online banking beneficiaries. Unfortunately, this is not the only case- every day there are hundreds of cases of reported cybercrime, which is only increasing.

Successful social engineering is a skill that is developed over time. Attackers learn what works and what doesn’t. They then add their own take on approaches that work to improve their technique. Thus, hacks get better, more effective, and more sophisticated over time. The internet and other technological issues are infiltrating popular culture. People think of cybercriminals as kids in their bedrooms simply playing around, when in fact it is actually a full-fledged business.

The crux of the problem is that technology is often far ahead compared to society's conversations and debates. In other words, technology comes first while the psychological reaction comes second. We don’t have enough time to research the effects, or potential effects, of new technology. It’s always created and made available unchecked and we have to respond afterwards. For example, there are debates around artificial intelligence and how that will impact human interactions. Ideally, we should have the debates before we make the products available.

How can we outsmart the perpetrators of cybercrime?

It’s all about general awareness – a holistic approach to cyber security. Most individuals tend to compartmentalise technology: ‘I have cyber security at work and then I have cyber security at home – I’m covered’. However, this is a misnomer since an individual can introduce their own risk into the workplace and vice versa.

Here’s what one can do to stay safe:

·     Change default passwords of your home Wi-Fi router to prevent hackers from accessing your network.

·     Download anti-virus software

·     Use strong and unique passwords on every account and device and use two-factor authentication (2FA).

·     Do not allow anyone else to share your work computers and other devices that you have brought from your office.

·     Use only software that is used by your company to share files and refrain from using your personal email or 3rd party services.

·     Ensure that your remote sessions automatically time out after a specified period of inactivity and that they require re-authentication to gain access.

·     Don’t forget to turn off the ‘remember password’ option when you are logging into company information systems and applications from their personal devices.

·     Talk to your family and children about staying safe online

·     Do not click or open links and emails you were not expecting to receive

In conclusion, we need to treat cyber security as a very real and everyday caution that cannot be overlooked. Technology is no longer a separate entity; it is an essential part and privilege in our lives. A single action on a computer can impact multiple aspects of an individual's life. By following cyber security tips, one can stay safe and make the best use of this asset.