India’s Cyber Security Coordinator Calls for Global Cooperation to Fight Cyber Crime

“In India, one of the key areas lie in the many thousands of new users that are coming online and using the internet for the first time. It is important to establish a ground level of awareness in these rural areas, so that cyber security awareness is spread far and wide particularly in the rural areas. Given the amount of data our country generates at the moment, protecting this data is key, and it is hence crucial for adopting strategies and policies to maximise the level of awareness of cyber crimes, both for individuals and companies alike. Increasing this awareness can be the first and foremost step towards improving our country’s cyber resilience,” Pant further added.

Not just rural areas

Joining in on the discussion, Singapore’s cyber security chief Koh added that the issue of cyber resilience in a world with increasing cyber crimes does not simply lie in rural areas. Koh said, “Singapore is a fairly cosmopolitan city, but even in an area like this, there is a lack of uniformity in the approach towards cyber security, which is one of the most important factors that need to be revised, looked into and established through formal policies and better awareness.” Koh further added that the sudden strike of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world has been a significant step back in establishing cyber security practices, since most individuals were forced into working from home at a time when they did not have adequate cyber security knowhow or equipment.

Koh stated that despite the work from home protocol establishing a “new normal” around the world, this can be considered as a moment for individuals and companies to become increasingly aware and increase their readiness in dealing with cyber threats, which in turn will benefit them more in a post-pandemic world. On this note, Koh also touched upon the increasing fragmentation of cyberspaces that have occurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has also contributed to cyber criminals increasing the volume of crimes being undertaken in recent times. Reacting to this, India’s Pant stated that while the fragmentation of cyberspaces has indeed occurred, he expects to see closer global coordination reverse this effect as the toil of the pandemic begins to wear off.