‘Early cyber hygiene adoption key in fighting security threats’

A senior West Bengal government official said Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, are doing commendable work in tackling emerging cyber security challenges

Instilling values of cyber hygiene at a young age is critical in countering cyber security threats, Sanjay Kumar Das, Joint Secretary (Department of IT and Electronics), Government of West Bengal, has said.

Speaking to DH on the sidelines of a cyber security congress organised by Infosec Foundation, a Kolkata-based not-for-profit, Das said a bottom-up approach is a way forward in addressing gaps in awareness of cyber hygiene practices, that facilitate cyber crimes.

He said states, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, are doing commendable work in tackling emerging cyber security challenges even as the technologies evolve at a staggering pace.

Speaking about the threats posed by unregulated digital loan apps and aggressive recovery methods, he said customers need to understand the importance of due diligence and ask themselves basic questions like “Why is this loan being offered to me?” before accepting the loans.

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“We need to create awareness on these practices among students, from schools to colleges. The focus should be on addressing the cause, not the outcome. Fake loan apps are an outcome,” he said.

Das said the Cyber Security Centre of Excellence under the IT and Electronics Department in West Bengal has been taking up awareness initiatives, including a comic book with stories around 12 common cyber crimes including matrimonial fraud, phishing, fake calls from banks and fake modelling offers.

Focus on new challenges

Cyber security experts discussed the challenges in complying with global internet security standards during sessions in the congress.

Sushobhan Mukherjee, chairman of Infosec Foundation, told DH that the congress was aimed at providing a platform for stakeholders including the governments, industry and the public to collaborate on solutions for cyber security challenges.

During a moderated session on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications in cyber security, experts underlined the effectiveness of AI systems in responding to malware and other forms of cyber aggression.

The session also saw the panelists caution users against developing a “false sense of security” with AI systems.