Cyberattacks crossed 12.67 lakh during Nov 2022

The increasing digitalisation and the introduction of advanced technology-enabled solutions, from Internet of Things, cloud computing, AI, and data analytics in the transport and logistics sector means that this industry, too, has become a target for cybercrime. With this the number of cyber-attacks has steadily risen to 12.67 lakh during Nov 2022.

There are rising cyberattacks and cyber security incidents are a global phenomenon. The government is fully cognisant and aware of various cyber security threats. Apple, Meta, Twitter, and Samsung have all disclosed cybersecurity attacks this year.

The number of cyberattacks in India has recorded a steady growth over the past few years, and the total number as reported to and tracked by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in the current year stands at 12,67,564 (till November), the Parliament was told.

The corresponding number of such incidents in 2018 was 2,08,456 which increased to 3,94,499 in 2019, to 11,58,208 in 2020 and 14,02,809 in 2021, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Digital channels are not used just for shopping; consumers have started to learn, work, shop, entertain themselves, connect with others via video chats and even improve their well-being using online fitness and wellness apps. Even traditional in-person business services are shifting online, including medical consultations, education, legal and accountancy services.

The Minister said that with the borderless cyberspace coupled with anonymity, along with the rapid growth of the Internet, the rise in cyber-attacks and cyber security incidents is a global phenomenon and the government is fully cognisant and aware of various cyber security threats.

CERT-In is mandated to track and monitor cyber security incidents in India. In the recently notified cyber security direction, CERT-In has now made it mandatory for all incidents to be mandatorily reported to it.

The minister said that CERT-In operates an automated cyber threat exchange platform for proactively collecting, analysing and sharing tailored alerts with organisations across sectors for proactive threat mitigation actions by them. According to the analysis by CERT-In, the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the computers from where the attacks appear to have originated from a number of countries.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA