500% increase in cyber crimes in India after COVID-19: Doval

New Delhi: There was an increase of 500 per cent in cybercrimes due to limited awareness and cyber hygiene, claimed National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval. He asserted that following the COVID-19 pandemic, financial frauds have seen exponential increase due to greater dependence on digital payment platforms.

He also informed the Narendra Modi-led Centre is planning to come up with the National cyber security strategy-2020 which envisions the safe, secured, trusted, resilient and vibrant cyberspace for India’s prosperity.

He made the remarks while delivering a lecture on Cyber security virtually at the COCONXIII-2020, a data privacy and hacking conference hosted by the Kerala Police and the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace and Information Security Research Association.

“There is a greater dependence on digital payment platform due to reduced cash handling and greater data sharing is happening online and presence on social media has also increased. While we are able to manage our affairs online to a certain extent, malicious actors also found in it, a new opportunity,” said the NSA.

Furthermore, he cautioned citizens while being online and said a responsible approach should be there while using internet.