Nuh Place, Old Tricks – A Haryana district is the latest cybercrime hotspot. This threat is set to grow as digital transition accelerates

Source: The post is based on the article “Nuh Place, Old Tricks – A Haryana district is the latest cybercrime hotspot. This threat is set to grow as digital transition accelerates” published in The Times of India on 2nd May 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – basics of cyber security.

Relevance: About cybercrime attacks in India.

News: Recently, over 5,000 policemen raided 300 locations in 14 villages in search of hackers in Nuh district, Haryana. Though the police made multiple arrests, many of them were school dropouts, they are still searching for the mastermind. 

Note: Nuh’s geographical location helped it to become a base of operations because “black spots” make it difficult to trace calls.

About cybercrime attacks in recent times

Cybercrime attacks in the world: In 2022, Interpol surveyed police forces among its member states to publish the first-ever global report on crime trends.

-Police forces across countries identified financial and cybercrime as among the world’s leading crime threats.

-In particular, phishing and online scams were rated as high or very high threats.

Cybercrime attacks in India: The government’s cybercrime portal receives over 3,500 complaints a day. This is a gross underestimate as not all victims know how to file a complaint or even want to file one.

In India, phishing and dubious online platforms offering financial products are the most potent threats.

What are the challenges in restricting Cybercrime attacks?

a) Digital business models offer convenience for cyber attacks, b) India’s huge mobile phone user base made it easier to perpetrate crimes on a large scale from geographically distant locations, c) Regulators are often playing catch-up. For instance, the centre and RBI have cracked down on dubious online loan apps only after they mushroomed, d) India’s chronic underemployment problem creates conditions for young people to try and make money by digital fraud.

What should be done?

Regulators and states need to invest far more in enhancing financial awareness to help people be vigilant. Jobs and smart policing are the answer.