According to statistics, around 4,035 cases of cyber crimes were registered under the IT Act in the area in 2017, while 2,380 cases were registered in 2016. This means that cases nearly doubled in just one year. Businesses are being encouraged to look at companies like Scarlett Cybersecurity that can help them with their cybersecurity and families are being told they need to look at what measures they can use to protect their personal data.
Of the 12,317 cyber-crime cases in 2016, 19.3% cases were reported in this state.
Pune365 spoke to Rajas Pingle, City based lawyer and Cyber Crime, IPR ( Intellectual Property Rights) expert.
Adv. Rajas Pingle, heads the Cyber Law litigation and compliance practice at Netlawgic Legal. Having a client base from India and abroad. Apart from this he has more than 9 years of experience in teaching cyber laws at Universities in India, Singapore, Dubai and Australia.
“Cyber threats are already challenging public trust and confidence in global institutions, governance, and norms, while imposing costs on the global economies.
“The high-end phones and tablets have powerful processors and with 4G network, they have high-bandwidth connectivity. In India, the average cost for a smartphone has also gone down drastically and with the mobile data war amongst mobile service providers, it has become all that easier to get a smartphone with decent internet connectivity. Nowadays, a handheld computer i.e. smartphone is in the pocket of every common man,” he adds.
Pingle stressed on the fact that the easy availability and accessibility of the internet with the smartphones has become an easy gateway for cyber criminals.
In 2017, around 1.54 billion smartphones were sold worldwide. A substantial increase from the units sold in the previous year, and India is one of the biggest consumers in the mobile phone market.
He further thinks that lack of awareness also acts as a catalyst for people to become victims of cyber crimes. “We can still see several citizens falling prey to the decade old phishing modus operandi used by the perpetrators. The main reason for the same is inherent greed and lack of awareness. Most of the people operate online on auto pilot mode rather than being vigilant to understand, that the actions we take online, will have real life consequences.
“In today’s age, I believe every school, college, government agencies and corporates should introduce a cyber cell. The cyber cell can spread awareness at the grass root level.
“This year one of our (Netlawgic Legal) initiatives is to launch a new website, as the diverse threats we face are increasingly cyber-based. This is for making our society aware of the new cyber-crimes and safety measures,” he adds.
In Pune, the police have received over 20 complaints since January this year, related to financial frauds. The cyber crime cell of the city police on Monday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the cases involving virtual currencies.
Explaining the increased threats in the city, he says “Since Pune is a huge IT hotspot, the flow of business, financial, personal as well as sensitive personal information is at astonishing levels. Hence, it has become an ideal playground for the perpetrators.”
The conviction rate also dropped to 16.67 per cent in 2017 from 23.53 per cent in 2016. In 2015, the state had recorded the highest conviction rate of 40.74 per cent.
When quizzed about the chances of conviction of the perpetrator, he says, “Firstly and most importantly, the Investigating Agency should have thorough knowledge of cyber-crime investigation and cyber forensics.
Secondly, Investigation is possible in every cyber crime, but to what extent, will always depend on the techniques used by the perpetrator and the place of commission/origin of the offence.
“Furthermore, the law plays a very vital role in this entire ecosystem. In India, The Information Technology Act was introduced in the year 2000 and it was the first technology related legislation in India. Thereafter in 2008, the Act was substantially amended to include various offences and definitions. The technology is progressing at a very fast pace and the modus operandi of the perpetrators is ever changing and evolving.
“Considering these factors, eight years is too long for amendment. If we consider the investigation and electronic evidence perspective, many changes are required to increase the conviction rate.
Recently, CBI has launched a worldwide probe in a child pornography case and has approached 40 countries, seeking details of mobile phone owners who were part of a WhatsApp group, in which certain images and videos were shared. This kind of proactive investigation is one of the key elements in curbing child pornography,” he adds.
“Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have rapidly developed over the last two decades. Recent rapid advances in ICTs have allowed adults, as well as children, to enjoy unprecedented opportunities and benefits in terms of socialization, education, and entertainment.
To begin with, parents should stop using mobile phones, tablets and laptops to act as the virtual nanny for their kids. A holistic approach to fight cybercrime against children, including adopting policies and legislation, raising awareness, building capacity, and providing technical assistance is required to address the multi-dimensional threat that cybercrime poses.
Furthermore, such an approach must involve various stakeholders, including children, families, communities, governments, members of civil society, and the private sector, in order to comprehensively and effectively fight child abuse and exploitation.
#StaySafe On Your Smartphone:
Keep your operating system up-to-date.
Install security software on your device.
Set a strong password.
Whet mobile applications before installing.
Avoid using unsecured WIFI connections. Use caution if you must use one.
Disable WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS in your mobile phone when you’re not using them.
Secure wipe/ delete all data on your mobile phone when you decide to discard or sell.
Do not respond or open messages from unknown people on social media.
Do not open or download attachments received through emails from unknown senders.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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