How to stop cyber crime

By Raghav Gupta

Cyber Security is the practice of identifying vulnerabilities and threats associated with digital systems and working towards mitigating these risks. It is a term that refers to an internet-connected computer or any other device that uses a processor, input or output and networking connections. Common threats to cyber security include: viruses, worms, Trojan horse and malware.

A related term is cyber warfare which is the use of cyber tools in warfare to achieve objectives that would not be possible by using physical means such as bombs or missiles. Cyber security has always been an important issue but it became prominent as major events in 2015 Bangladesh happened. In a bank robbery, hackers stole $81 million from the bank’s central account at its headquarters.

As a programmer, I feel that cyber security is crucial because the government, military, law enforcement and private industry use many critical resources that could be impacted by cyberattacks. Many of these systems are financial such as banks, credit cards, ATMs, stock markets and networks.

Government agencies as well use software to manage the budget systems and the military has put in place software to track troops’ movement. Because of these uses, cyberattacks are prevented. These attacks have the potential to cripple or even destroy a country’s financial security.

Another major concern to cyber security is providing further support to protect it against cyber-related activities. This means that an organisation must have the information available to help identify possible threats including what possible methods hackers may use to gain access and how the organisation can prepare well to fight any potential attacks.

Children too are being targeted by cyber criminals. They use legitimate-looking email accounts and social media handles such as on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to target children with malicious links or attachments in an attempt to gain access to their network. These criminals may use the same account and message the child about their personal life that leads to breach in trust. Once the attacker has proven that he is legitimate, he could ask for someone’s home address, birth date and other personal information.

Today, due to high internet penetration, cybersecurity is one of the biggest needs of the world. Not only the government, but also citizens, must spread awareness amongst people to update their systems and network security settings. They should use proper anti-virus for their systems and network security settings to stay virus and malware-free. The simplest thing is to keep changing passwords.

One can also use password manager tools like LastPass, Dashlane or Sticky Password to keep track of everything. These applications help use unique, secure passwords for every site while keeping track of all of them. Remember to not use old credentials since they can be traced by attackers easily. Delete unused accounts and enable two-factor authentication to add extra security to the logins.

COVID-19 has increased the use and reliance on the internet. As people work and learn from home, cyberattacks too have increased worldwide. Governments can address cybersecurity in the post- pandemic world by working together to adjust national frameworks, increase international cooperation and unify awareness campaigns. Despite the current challenges, the cyber community should work together to guarantee security, privacy and digital rights.

Let’s seize the opportunity and make our country free of cybercrime!