India’s position in the global cyber crime index

Context

According to a recent study, India is ranked 10th in terms of cybercrime, with advance fee payment frauds being the most prevalent. A team of researchers has created the ‘World Cybercrime Index’ which categorises cybercrime activities in approximately 100 countries, highlighting key areas of concern such as ransomware, credit card theft, and scams.

Details about World Cybercrime Index

The ‘World Cybercrime Index’ compiled by an international team of researchers ranks roughly 100 countries and identifies key hotspots for various categories of cybercrime, including ransomware, credit card theft, and scams.

• India’s Cyber Crime Profile: India was found to specialise in scams, particularly frauds involving people making advance fee payments. The country was characterised as a ‘balanced hub,’ specialising in mid-tech crimes.
• Top Countries in Cybercrime: Russia topped the list, followed by Ukraine, China, the US, Nigeria, and Romania. North Korea, the UK, and Brazil were also among the top-ranked countries, indicating a diverse geographical spread of cybercrime hubs.
• Specialisation in Cybercrime: The study found that countries that are cybercrime hubs tend to specialise in particular categories. For example, Russia and Ukraine are highly technical cybercrime hubs, while Nigerian cybercriminals are engaged in less technical forms of cybercrime.
• Survey Methodology: The survey involved asking experts to consider major types of crime in the virtual world and nominate countries that they thought contributed significantly to each of them. The survey was conducted from March to October 2021, with 92 complete responses received.

India’s Cybersecurity

• India reveals changes for cyber security to counter the increasing threat of cyber crime.
• Although India’s 10th position in cybercrime is due to its particularity in scams, especially payment scam type of scams, this may not be the sole reason.
• This also included the joining and the formation of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) that fight against the cyber incidents and protect the critical information infrastructure.
• Fake check scams, the most typical form of cyber crime coming from India makes up the majority of cybercrimes coming from there. These scams frequently resort to the tactic of duping people into paying money in advance at some point of time for services that are unavailable or the goods that are used to sell in the marketplace.
• The fact that India occupies the 10th position in the global cybercrime index insists on an insuperable information security system and awareness programs to discourage fraud cyber attacks.
• Additionally, it shows where in the global landscape countries are drifting closer to warez while others are practising espionage, this calls for international collaboration and innovative strategies to respond effectively to cyber menace.

Steps Taken to Enhance Cyber Security in India

• The National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 aims to improve cyber awareness and cybersecurity by implementing stricter audits. 
• The Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018, based on the recommendation of the Justice BN Srikrishna Committee, aims to protect citizens’ data. 
• The I4C was approved in October 2018 to address various types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. 
• The CERT-In serves as the main agency for coordinating cyber security efforts, emergency responses, and crisis management. 
• The establishment of the NCIIPC aims to protect and strengthen critical information infrastructure.

Conclusion

The ranking of India at number 10 in cybercrime underscores the need for continued vigilance and enhancement of cybersecurity measures. The study provides a deeper understanding of the geography of cybercrime and how different countries specialise in different types of cybercrime, which is crucial for developing targeted strategies to combat these threats.

Source: BS

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