The number of cybercrimes in Bangalore, aka IT capital of India, is rising at an alarming pace!
With the claws of globalization spreading across borders, we are not only targeted by real-world criminals and terrorists physically. Instead, we are more prone to attacks from the internet world.
The cybercrime has become enormously pervasive and global because the Internet has no precincts. Malicious software, computer viruses are helping cybercriminals pocket millions in just a touch or a click.
Recent studies have laid out a shocking disclosure with the news of the amplification of cyber attacks in India, and the heart of it is the Technology Capital of country, Bangalore. Topping the cyber hit list in 2018, Bangalore is followed by Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, according to the recent report by Quick Heal, the leader in antivirus software.
The discloser might not surprise many as just a few months back it came to light that a massive number of FIRs were lodged in Bangalore Cybercrime police stations in 2018, totalling 5,035. The rising number of cybercrimes in Bangalore is indeed quite concerning as the number of cybercrimes in the city is only increasing with each passing year.
“Bengaluru, being the technology hub and the top destination for IT jobs, has become the favourite target for cybercriminals,” said Sanjay Katkar, founder of Quick Heal, elaborating on the findings.
With about an enormous 1,852 attempts per minute last year Windows OS based devices are the prime target than Android or other systems. Cybercriminals are targeting the vulnerable IT systems to install the viruses and carry on their malevolent activities. Consumers are also being in the key attention of attackers with 973 million malware attacks on Windows OS based devices in 2018.
Use of Ransomware, however, has declined considerably with the boost of Crypto jacking. Ransomware is reportedly the most frequent form where the illegalities get entry to the victim’s computer locking her out and then asking for a ransom to reinstate their way in. Yet the above said ransomware practice has come down with the new form of crypto jacking in which there is an unlawful use of one’s computer for withdrawal of cryptocurrency. Crypto jacking is one of the major threats nowadays.
Despite all such concerning revelation, companies have a lack of determination to fight against cyber attacks. Another study reveals that only 18% of organisations have dedicated IT staff while 21% of organisation don’t have any employee with any type of skillset to identify or act against cyber attacks.
Katkar in his conversation with the Economic Times explained that these cybercriminals are targeting compromised websites, recognizing them is not an easy task. A warning might act as a precaution in the browser.
Sale of Malware as a Service (MaaS) and Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) by the cyber illegalities are trending.
“This can be attributed to the relative scalability and simplicity of the millions of devices that can easily be turned into potential victims, to cause cyber-attacks of a larger scale and stronger impact,” the QuickHeal report says.
Even with such highly intensified cybercrimes, the complaints have been pouring in because of the diligence shown by the residents’, having a higher number of cyber literates. Their awareness along with other factors have helped in the establishment of an exclusive cybercrime police station in Bangalore back in 2001 when no other metropolitan cities even considered the idea of such an institution, pointed out by ex-DG and IGP of Karnataka ST Ramesh.
The awareness about cybercrimes in Bangalore among people is still quite low. More attacks, poor disposal rate, high reportage but not many cyber staff at the stations create detrimental circumstances. The city has planned to site up 8 new cybercrime stations after an approval, perhaps improving the disposal rate of such crimes.
