Daily Post 1333
FREE NATIONAL CYBER CRIME COUNSELLING HELPLINE
Given the accentuation of the digital transformation in the lockdown period, it was but natural for the cyber crimes to rise. While we remained in lockdown, our lives completely moved on to the digital world, without even we realising or planning for it. This has certainly lead to knowledge gaps and also unknown areas, which are tending to be our handicaps as we move forward. With the world being under lockdown, any assistance you needed on account of cyber crime was not easily forthcoming. Work, education, entertainment and financial transactions all moved completely to the digital medium. The threat vector increased considerably. The security is always an after thought and this transition being perforce, where was the question of cyber security getting any heed. The IT services available in the offices were not available for the home operations.
While all the activities moved to home, you were left high and dry with regards to cyber security. With most of time being spend on the digital medium, some forays of explorations, as expected were also happening. What do you do in such a situation? Who do you contact in such a situation? Who do you rely upon when you don’t know of anybody? The knowledge of cyber crime in the office environment is limited, they might know of the issue, but they don’t know the remedial action? There are issues of embarrassment also involved in some of these crimes? There are youngsters, who would not like the parents and near and dear ones know of it. Anonymity and confidentiality are a part of any crime enquiry and investigation to a considerable degree.
Generic mails of hacking into your mail account and getting all the information about you inclusive of objectionable material have been received by quite a few. To prove the authenticity of the claim, your password is mentioned and some other details too. Bitcoins are demanded for not publishing these. There are also cases of posting of obscene videos on porn websites and then blackmailing. The Jamtara type of cyber crimes still continues. Zoombombing continues to thrive including of porn material being posted by the hackers. *Two way money transfer scam is on. The COVID-19 related private sites for providing assistance / help etc have got into data theft etc, research and the consequent documentation in this regard is still to happen.
In one case proton mail was being used for settling a business rivalry, ransom being asked to stop the proposed damage. Using Instagram, honeypot types operations are also happening. Once caught in the act / video, it is same story of blackmailing. Suffice to day we are the midst of cyber crimes of all types. The victim needs help. Awareness should happen like a SOP. It should be drilled. Lots don’t want to go to the Police. Anonymous complaints need to attended to. Besides Police other stakeholders also need to be a part – lawyers, clinical psychologists, ethical hackers, cyber forensic experts etc. Immediate assistance is the basic right of the victim, with all resources and information made handy. Hit by a crisis, counselling is God send. It’s time we create a FREE NATIONAL CYBER CRIME COUNSELLING HELPLINE in the interest of the citizens. It should be a multi-stakeholder Initiative / venture.
VICTIM ASSISTANCE IS A MUST IN THE ONGING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.