Cyber Robberies Expose Our Sordid Underbelly

While the government is pressing for cashless transaction, more people are becoming victims of cyber robberies amid weak encryption policies and slack cyber security measures taken by the general public, writes SANJIB SINHA.

- Sanjib Sinha

Does the dream of new digital India look too rosy? Yes. It’s not beyond reasonable reservation. While our government is pressing for cashless transaction, a thick mantle of fear hangs loosely around the weak encryption policy and slack cyber security measures taken by common people. We are already in for a bigger loss if correct steps are not taken right away.

Common people, who lose money online regularly, find no solace from anywhere – neither from the banks nor from the administration. The government wants to connect every village council digitally in one year, which is a good idea indeed. But what will happen to the consumers who are constantly being encouraged to participate in this digital revolution without knowing the basic components about the imminent dangers staying for them in the dark? Is there any visible effort to make people aware about the cyber security threats that have become one of the biggest of all menaces?

The famous security software firm Kaspersky Lab in a recent statement has given us mind-boggling statistics of cyber money laundering and two very recent incidents in India just add to the woes. What it says is nothing new except the amount which is much bigger than before – an Internet user loses around ₹32,400 on an average to every cyber attack. The gloomiest part of this report is that over half of Internet users who lose money at the hands of cyber criminals only get some, or none of their stolen money back.