Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>In India only two third of the police stations across 22 states have access to a functional computer. </li><li>One in every five Indian police officer says they don't have to technology to investigate cyber crimes. </li><li>Forget computers, one in every ten police station do not have access to drinking water. </li></ul>In India, a third of police stations across 22 states do not have access to a functional computer, reported Status of Policing in India 2019. This is in spite of the fact that cybercrime in India grew by a massive 457% in the last five years. Yet, one in every five Indian police officers says they don't have to technology to investigate cyber crimes. The police are not well equipped to handle offline crimes either. As many as 46% police officials said they have faced a situation when they needed a vehicle but didn't get any. Moreover, 41% say that they are understaffed, and unable to reach a crime scene on time. The state government typically allocates 3% of its budget to the police department. However, most of the allocated budget goes into salaries and other capital expenditure, leaving no room for development. The resources in police departments are so low that 28% say they purchased stationery, carbon paper in the past 2-3 years from their pocket to keep the work going. Forget computers, one in every ten police station do not have access to drinking water Screenshot from Status of Policing in India 2019 According to the study, many police stations lack clean toilets and drinking water facilities. As many as 18% of police officers said their station doesn’t have clean bathrooms. Further, 10% of the police personnel said they do not have a drinking water facility. In fact, some of the police stations do not even have a sitting area or provision for food, all of which affect their ability to devote more time towards investigation. The police officers in India are already overworked as they pull in 14 hour shifts, and miss weekly offs sometimes. See also: <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="71075344" title="Tired of 14-hour work days, a third of Indian police officers are keen on quitting" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Indian police stations are struggling to access computers as cybercrime zooms

By Aditi Khanna London, May 1 () The UK government on Friday launched a new virtual cyber security school aimed at encouraging teenagers to learn new skills while stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.As part of the free lessons, youngsters can learn how to crack codes, fix security flaws and dissect criminals' digital trails while progressing through a game as a cyber agent. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) said this will help them develop important skills needed for future jobs, particularly in cyber security."This new initiative will give teenagers something fun and educational to do from home and provide them with a glimpse into the life of a cyber security professional," said UK Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman."We have a world-leading cyber sector which plays a crucial role protecting the country and our digital economy, so it is absolutely vital we continue to inspire the next generation of tech talent to help maintain the UK's strong position," he said.The school will provide free weekly webinars run by industry experts teaching fundamental security disciplines such as digital forensics, cryptography and operating systems. Thousands of young people are being encouraged to join the initiative to create the UK's next generation of professional cyber defenders."At a time when schools remain closed to most children, the online initiative aims to inspire future talent to work in the cyber security sector and give students a variety of extracurricular activities to do from the safety of their homes," DCMS said.The move comes as the government announces a number of other online training courses to give UK school pupils the opportunity to learn and develop cyber security skills, including the launch of the National Cyber Security Centre's (NCSC) popular CyberFirst summer courses. The courses are moving online this year to help more than a thousand 14 to 17-year-olds develop important cyber skills from home during the coronavirus pandemic. NCSC Chief Executive Officer Ciaran Martin said: "Technology is helping us all cope with the coronavirus crisis and is playing an essential role in keeping our businesses moving and our society connected."It has never been more important for our young people to keep engaged and learn how to protect our digital world - and I'm delighted to see our instructor led CyberFirst summer courses made available online."Enrolled students will learn how to code and carry out cybersecurity operations in an instructor-led virtual classroom to help guide the students through the programme and build a sense of camaraderie within each cohort.The National Crime Agency and Cyber Security Challenge UK will also offer teenagers the chance to access their online cyber skills platform CyberLand for free during the coming months. In the game designedto teach teenagers the fundamentals of cyber security, players protect thevirtual city "CyberLand" from cyber attacks while learning key skills."Many young people have a keen interest in technology and have developed impressive cyber skills. The virtual cyber school and CyberFirst programmes are great initiatives which will support this next generation of cyber defenders in realising their potential," said Jim Stokley, Deputy Director at the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit."We've also partnered with Cyber Security Challenge UK to offer free access to their online platform Cyberland where young people will find games that encourage them to improve cyber skills safely and legally," he said. AK NSA

UK offers virtual cyber school for teens in Covid-19 lockdown

New Delhi, Feb 26 () The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) on Wednesday said it has launched a new toll-free number for GST helpdesk, which will be operational 365 days for answering queries related to the indirect tax.In a statement, the GSTN said it has revamped GST helpdesk by introducing new features to improve taxpayers' experience by making the system more robust and transparent. The GSTN has come up with a new GST help desk toll-free calling number '1800 103 4786'. The caller may call on this number on 365 days in a year from 9 am to 9 pm. With the introduction of the toll-free number, the existing contact number for the GST helpdesk (0120-24888999) has been discontinued, the GSTN added.Further, 10 new languages were introduced on helpdesk. Till now, taxpayers had a facility to interact with the GST helpdesk agents in Hindi and English. Now they can interact in 10 other Indian languages -- Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Odia, Malayalam, Punjabi and Assamese.Further, an improved version of Grievance Redressal Portal too has been launched. The GST helpdesk receives average 8,000 to 10,000 calls every day. JDMKJ

GSTN launches new toll-free number for helpdesk

<ul><li>Over 15,700 <keyword id="1941593" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-websites">Indian websites</keyword> were hacked, which is nearly half the number of hacks that took place last year, PTI reported citing Ravi Shankar Prasad, <keyword id="4078168" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Electronics-and-IT-minister">Electronics and IT Minister</keyword>. </li><li>A ‘Crisis Management Plan’ has been forged to address cyber threats and terrorism by the ministries under central and state government. </li><li>Over the last three years, 23 financial fraud cases were also registered including the ones directly affecting ATMs, Point of sale (PoS) systems and Unified Payment Interface (UPI).</li></ul>Amid the increasing number of <keyword id="647765" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Data-breaches">data breaches</keyword>, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) recently revealed numbers on Indian websites that were hacked this year up to November. Over 15,700 Indian websites were hacked, which is nearly half the number of hacks that took place last year, PTI <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/15-779-indian-websites-hacked-during-jan-nov-2018-prasad-1407943-2018-12-12?utm_campaign=fullarticle&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=inshorts">reported</a> citing Ravi Shankar Prasad, Electronics and IT Minister. As per the information tracked by the <keyword id="7120837" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Computer-Emergency-Team">Computer Emergency Team</keyword>, in total 30,067 Indian websites were recorded as hacked last year, he added. A ‘crisis management plan’ has been forged to address cyber threats and terrorism by the ministries under the central and state government, SS Ahluwalia, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/15779-indian-websites-hacked-during-jan-nov-2018-ravi-shankar-prasad/articleshow/67060171.cms">reportedly</a> said. In addition to this, Ahluwalia also told that the government has been taking measures to strengthen cyber security and working in sync with the CERT to address the cyber attacks. The CERT raises alerts on latest cyber threats and its quick fix, which is regularly assesed to ensure alertness of organisations within the government. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), nearly 33,000 cases of cyber crime were recorded during 2014-2016, including the cases under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Information Technology Act 2000. Apart from this, 23 financial fraud cases were also registered in the last three years, such as the ones directly affecting ATMs, Point of sale (PoS) systems and Unified Payment Interface (UPI), according to the report. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/quora-says-100-million-user-accounts-may-have-been-hacked-giving-out-passwords-e-mails-in-massive-data-breach/articleshow/66933864.cms">Quora says 100 million user accounts may have been hacked giving out passwords, e-mails in massive data breach</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-a-free-travel-insurance-offer-on-the-indian-railways-website-left-data-of-200000-passengers-exposed-to-hackers-for-two-years/articleshow/66604055.cms">How a free travel insurance offer on the Indian Railways website left data of 200,000 passengers exposed to hackers for two years</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/google-will-shut-down-4-months-early-after-google-discovered-a-second-data-breach-affecting-more-than-52-million-users/articleshow/67032115.cms">Google+ will shut down 4 months early after Google discovered a second data breach affecting more than 52 million users</a>

India has seen 15,700 website hacks so far in 2018, nearly half the number from last year: report

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cyber+extortion">Cyber extortion</a> is giving many companies sleepless nights, especially in Hyderabad. A slew of cases have been reported from the city where hackers have withheld company’s websites and asked for payment in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bitcoins">Bitcoins</a> in return. 
 
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hackers">hackers</a> penetrate the weak security systems of several companies and threaten individuals of putting up <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=confidential+information">confidential information</a> on websites or even sell them. 
 
The information sold can range from email IDs to Aadhaar and bank account numbers. 
 
“An incident of data being kept hostage was first reported a year ago. At that time, we did not take it seriously. But when another victim came with a similar complaint in late July, we realised that it's a new modus operandi," assistant commissioner of police (Cyber Crimes) B Anuradha told TOI. 
 
Cyber experts say data sharing is invaluable for improving businesses and hackers take advantage of it and sell important information sale for a few lakhs of rupees. 
 
The news daily reported that one of the most common <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cyber+frauds">frauds</a> being committed by hackers is to misguide business partners by sending emails from similar looking email ids and asking them to transfer money to new accounts. 
 
"Corporates and individuals should always maintain upgraded operating systems, firewalls and advanced anti-virus softwares to protect data from intrusion. One should avoid using unlicensed, pirated, free anti-virus tools available on the web, since many of them are not foolproof. Corporates should have a periodic cyber audit to avoid data <keyword id="6357115" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="hacking">hacking</keyword>. Never open unsolicited mails or invites on social media," joint commissioner of police (CCS), T Prabhakar Rao, told TOI. 
 
He also suggested that users should always have passwords that are complicated and not predictable like names of family members. 
 
So, one needs to be careful and not give in to cyber hackers. To begin with, one should never open or respond to unsolicited emails or invites on social media. People should not download free mobile apps that offer free talk time. One is also advised to have complicated passwords. 
 
(Image: Thinkstock)

Beware companies! Plug in all loopholes as cyber extortion is on the rise

Yesterday the world was severely attacked by cyber criminals. The toll was massive. Right from hospitals to airports, telecom to computer systems of around 100 countries suffered badly. And all this happened without any symptoms. As per news reports, 102 computer systems of <keyword id="37102" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword> police were hacked. The malware reportedly halted production at a <keyword id="3040423" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nissan-Renault-Alliance">Nissan-Renault Alliance</keyword> plant on the outskirts of Chennai, but the company did not comment on the issue. According to a TOI news report, this cyber attack was carried out using a malware called Wanna Decryptor or WannaCry. This is a "ransomware", a digital extortion system that locks down systems by encrypting the data on it, only to decrypt and release it back for a ransom amount. Indian ATMs run on <keyword id="6354717" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Windows">Windows</keyword> XP, which has been discontinued by <keyword id="10387" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword> long back. And when this kind of attack happens there is no return as even Microsoft has no support available. <keyword id="4530279" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="michael-gillespie">Michael Gillespie</keyword>, who runs ID Ransomware, a free website that helps victims of ransomware identify malware and work around encrypted data, said he got an unusually high number of submissions from India since Friday which he diagnosed as WannaCry ."I've received about 24 submissions since yesterday that were identified as WannaCryptor and came from IPs based in India. I'd say that's pretty low compared to other countries, but pretty high for submissions from India," he told TOI over email, pointing out that his stats only cover those who upload to the website and are not indicative of the total number of victims.

Your money isn’t safe in the ATMs. Here’s why

In a recent announcement, Jio Fiber has said it will launch its Jio Fiber on September 5, 2019. The announcement also said the Jio Fiber customers will also get a fixed landline service which was earlier called as Jio FixedVoice. Also called as the Jio Home Phone, this comes as part of a bundled offer that will provide broadband internet services, landline connection and a TV connection. Early subscribers will also be able to get a number of added benefits. To subscribe for this service, you must first check if the service is available in your area. Once you ascertain this, you can register for your Jio Fiber connection online by visiting its official website. Contacting for Jio Fiber Connection If the JIo Fiber service is available in your area, you can register yourself for the Jio Fiber connection for your home or office. This can be done on the official website of the service provider. Alternatively, you can also contact the customer care and helpline number for resolving any query or issue. The customer care number of any city can be gathered from the official website of Jio network. Right from the start of Reliance Jio registration through the installation, the customer care provides an able support to the customers contacting them through the dedicated numbers. Here are the Jio Fiber customer care numbers <ul><li>Customer care number for JIO users 199/198.</li><li>Toll free number for Jio Fiber regular customers: 1800-896-9999.</li><li>Toll free number for Jio Corporate customers: 1800-889-9333</li><li>Toll free number to get Jio Fiber new connection: 1800 103 8877</li></ul>

How to contact Jio Fiber connection?

<ul><li>India has launched the National Cyber Forensic Lab and CyPAD (Cyber Prevention, Awareness and Detection Centre). </li><li>The lab will be operated by Delhi Police. However, other police units can also access the NCF. </li><li>The lab has been made well equipped with malware forensics, crypto currency forensics, network forensics and recovery tools.</li></ul>Despite the Indian government’s efforts to fight cyber attacks, the rate of cyber crime in India has been growing. India saw one of the biggest cyber breaches when its citizen biometric database <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/The-21-biggest-data-breaches-of-2018/1-Aadhar-1-1-billion/slideshow/67045472.cms">exposed </a>the personal information of nearly 1.1 billion people India has now launched a National Cyber Forensic Lab and ‘CyPAD’, a cyber crime unit of Delhi police in Dwarka, Delhi. On Tuesday, Indian Union Minister for Home <keyword id="6355121" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajnath-Singh">Rajnath Singh</keyword> tweeted on the opening of the forensic lab and Cyber Prevention, Awareness and Detection Centre (CyPAD) saying that the move is to “build public trust in a digital world.” 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="rajnathsingh" handlename="Rajnath Singh" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/431732725184073728/0MGsrciP_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="5675" retweetcount="2133" status="The Cyber Prevention, Awareness &amp;amp; Detection Centre (CyPAD) and National Cyber Forensic Lab we’re inaugurated in New… https://t.co/KuoGaKlXqm" createdat="1550499745000" id="1097501593396744192"></div>




 Also named as Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the lab will be operated by cyber cell of Delhi police. However, the NCFL will also be accessible to other police units across the country. To tap on the growing challenges to curb the problem of fake news and data breaches, a special training and analytics cell will work to monitor social media profiles of those in radar. Addressing the issue, Amulya Patnaik reportedly said that this is the first time a dedicated lab has been formed to counter cyber crime. We are stepping up our efforts to enhance the cybercrime fighting capabilities to obstruct cyber threats. Aimed at threat analysis, the lab has been made well equipped with crypto currency forensics, network forensics, malware forensics, and recovery of damaged hard drives. According to the police officials, the lab can identify cybercrime and analyse proofs quickly. It is an ongoing process, said DCP official. 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>





 Enabling a nationwide network, the lab will have a stored database on the National Cyber Reporting Portal. Appreciating the commendable work by the school teachers, Rajnath Singh also <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/rajnath-singh-inaugurates-cyber-crime-fighting-facility-3554671.html">titled</a> them as ‘Cyber Awareness Mitras.’ According to a <a href="https://theswaddle.com/india-is-one-of-the-worst-countries-for-cyber-security-heres-how-it-affects-women/">report</a> by Comparitech — a consumer review firm, India ranks 15th in terms of cyber security, labelled as the least secure country against cybercrime. Profile hacking and photo morphing have been highlighted as the common concerns over internet safety. However, Bangalore registered the maximum number of cyber crimes in the country — with nearly <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/bengaluru-is-indias-cybercrime-capital/articleshow/67769776.cms">5,035 FIRs</a> in the cyber cell in 2018.

One year after one of the largest government data breaches, India finally has a national cyber forensic lab

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Getty/Alex Wong</div></div></div>Authorities are warning consumers of a new scam offering $100 gift cards at Target and Wal-Mart.
The gift card offer, which has been spotted in Ohio and North Carolina, comes on a postcard and lists a toll-free number for consumers to call and claim their reward.
"If you call the number, you'll be asked to provide your credit card number, supposedly to cover shipping or processing fees of $6.95 or less," the North Carolina attorney general's office posted in an <a href="http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/Alerts/Post-card-promises-gift,-delivers-a-scam.aspx">advisory</a> online. "But once you've shared your credit card number, there's little to stop the group behind the post cards from racking up more charges on your account. Consumers who've fallen for the scam report being charged up to $100 at once, or finding smaller charges appear on their bill each month."
The attorney general's office advises consumers who fell for the scam to call their bank immediately. 
As a general rule, however, it's safest to assume that money is never free, and any email or letter that promises otherwise is a scam.
Consumers should also be extra vigilant about communication from Target and Neiman Marcus, as those retailers <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/target-email-scam-2014-1">were recently hit with a massive data breach</a>. Cyber security experts say hackers may try to piggyback on those attacks by offering refunds or other services to victims of the breach and asking consumers to provide personal information in the process. 
If you are unsure as to whether an email or message from Target is legitimate, check <a href="https://corporate.target.com/about/payment-card-issue.aspx">this website </a>where the retailer is logging all its official communication with consumers.

Beware New Scam Offering $100 Gift Cards For Target And Wal-Mart

Internet users in India need to tread with caution. A recent study done by <keyword id="6355988" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assocham">ASSOCHAM</keyword> and Mahindra Special Services Group, the risk and governance consulting arm of Mahindra Group, suggests that the number of <keyword id="79425" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-crimes">cyber crimes</keyword> in the country is expected to double and cross the 3-lakh mark in 2015. 
	 
	As per the study, the cyber crimes are growing at a rate of 107% year on year while registering over 12,000 cases every month. According to the report, the number of cases of cyber crimes was 13,301 cases in the year 2011, which was followed by 22,060 such cases in 2012 and 71,780 cases in 2013. By May 2014 alone, the cyber cells in India had registered a whopping increase in cyber crime cases and registered 62,189 cases. 
	 
	Much to our surprise, clone phishing is one of the most common cyber crimes reported in India. “Phishing attacks of online banking accounts or cloning of ATM/Debit cards are common occurrences. The increasing use of mobile, smartphones, tablets for online banking and financial transactions has also increased the vulnerabilities to a great extent. The maximum offenders came from the 18-30 age groups”, stated the report. 
	 “What is causing even more concern is that the origin of these crimes is widely based abroad in countries including China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Algeria among others”, said <keyword id="547365" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DS-Rawat">DS Rawat</keyword>, general secretary of the industry body. Apart these countries, the cyber crimes have been also originating from countries such as the US, Europe, Brazil, Turkey and UAE. “With increasing use of information technology (IT) enabled services such as e-governance, online business and electronic transactions protection of personal and sensitive data have assumed paramount importance. The economic growth of any nation and its security whether internal or external and competiveness depends on how well is its cyberspace secured and protected”, added Rawat. 
	 
	ATM Frauds On The Rise 
	 
	Misuse of the ATM-cum-debit card had been a common problem for all. Often debit card users report fraudulent transactions have been made through their ATM cards even when the cards were in their possession. 
	 
	“I was in my office when I got an automated message from my bank that I just made an ATM transaction worth Rs 1,000. Ironically, I hadn’t even visited the ATM that week as I had already withdrawn enough cash a week before,” said Pooja Sharma, a brand manager with a Gurgaon-based tablet manufacturer. 
	 
	Similarly, Sandeep Shrivastava, a school teacher realized that his bank account was compromised when he got a similar automated message from his bank (SBI) while in a classroom. “I was in the classroom when I got a message notifying me of an ATM transaction at that time. I had got these messages earlier as well but could never ascertain a fraud as I regularly use my debit card to withdraw money from the ATM every few days.” 
	 
	<keyword id="30067" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI">RBI</keyword> Should Keep A Hawk-Eye 
	 
	The Reserve Bank of India has been regularly running campaigns against such fraudulent claims and has cautioned the public not to fall prey to fictitious offers like lottery winnings, remittance of cheap funds in foreign currency from abroad by the so-called foreign entities or to Indian residents acting as representatives of such individuals. The central bank also runs a message warning the public of such fraud claims. 
	 
	Despite all this, people are still falling into the traps of cyber phishing attempts—blame it either on consumer’s negligence or give full credit to phishers who plan unsuspicious traps. Innocent users often fall for emails in the name of Reserve Bank of India and other financial bodies, wherein they are offered lottery money, funds from abroad, tax refunds and others. 
	 
	“I got this mail in my spam box. It stated that RBI is offering to transfer $12 million to the receiver’s personal account. I just had to fill up my personal details including my bank account number, bank’s name and the branch, which was followed by a demand for Rs 2,000 as deposit to claim the lottery funds released by the UN,” said Ashish Bhalla, a marketing executive with a reputed consumer durable company. 
	 
	Similarly, another fake offer stated that the foreign exchange department of RBI was offering $1million. “…The Foreign Exchange Transfer Department of Reserve bank of India has decided to bring to your attention, that you were listed as a beneficiary in the recent schedule for payment of outstanding debts incurred by the BRITISH GOVERNMENT Pending since 2007 to 2012. According to your file record with your email address, your payment is categorized as: Lottery/inheritance/Unpaid contract funds/ Undelivered Lottery fund…” 
	 
	Take Caution: Protect Yourself From Cyber Attacks 
	 
	Since Internet penetration has been growing and online banking is fast replacing the traditional ways, India ranks third after Japan and the US in the list of most affected countries by online banking malware during the year of 2014, says ASSOCHAM. 
	 
	So, what can you do to avert these attacks? 
	 
	ASSOCHAM says by following simple do’s and don’ts, people can reduce the number of cyber crimes committed in India. For instance, avoid online banking if the network is not secured. Also, one needs to be cautious while giving away confidential information on emails that seek such information. 
	 
	“Check your online account frequently and make sure all listed transactions are valid. Always delete spam e-mails immediately and empty the trash box to prevent clicking on the same link accidentally. Beware of lotteries that charge a fee prior to delivery of your prize among others,” suggests Rawat. 
	 
	Representational Image

Cyber Crimes To Surge In India, Likely To Touch 3-lakh mark In 2015

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/2462457722/">stuckincustoms</a></div></div>NEW YORK (<keyword id="76338" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Reuters">Reuters</keyword>) - Around half of the world's securities exchanges were the target of cyber-attacks last year, according to a paper based on a survey of 46 exchanges released on Tuesday.
The prevalence of attacks along with the interconnected nature of the markets creates the potential for widespread impact, said the joint staff working paper by the International Organization of Securities Commissions' (IOSCO) research department and the World Federation of Exchanges Office.
"There could be systemic impacts ... from cyber attacks in the securities markets, especially considering that our financial system is relying more and more on technological infrastructure," the report's author, Rohini Tendulkar of the IOSCO Research Department, said in an interview.
Among the exchanges surveyed, 53 percent said they experienced a cyber attack last year. The most common forms were Denial of Service attacks, which seek to disrupt websites and other computer systems by overwhelming the targeted organizations' networks with computer traffic, and viruses.
Other forms of cyber-crimes reported by the exchanges included laptop theft, website scanning, data theft, and insider information theft. None of the exchanges reported financial theft as part of the attacks.
"Cyber-crime also appears to be increasing in terms of sophistication and complexity, widening the potential for infiltration and large-scale damage," the report said, adding that a major attack could result in widespread public mistrust and a retreat from the markets.
In Britain, worries over hacking and other cyber attacks have pushed aside the euro zone crisis as the top risk for that country's banks, a senior Bank of England official said last month.
In the United States, exchange operators Nasdaq OMX Group and BATS Global Markets said in February of last year that they were targeted with denial of service attacks. In October 2011, NYSE Euronext's New York <keyword id="6375761" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stock-exchange">Stock Exchange</keyword>'s website was inaccessible for 30 minutes, according to an Internet monitoring company, but the exchange said there was no interruption of service.
And in 2010, hackers who infiltrated Nasdaq's computer systems installed malicious software that allowed them to spy on the directors of publicly held companies, Reuters reported.
There is limited data on the costs of cyber-crime to securities markets, but the paper said a number of studies have looked at the costs of cyber-crime to society as a whole, with estimates ranging between $388 billion to $1 trillion.
The exchanges in the survey said the direct and indirect cost of cyber-attacks cost them each less than $1 million last year.
A spokeswoman for BATS said on Tuesday the exchange operator invests heavily in proactive security technology, and has made some significant hires on the security side, though for competitive and security issues, she could not give more details.
Nasdaq and NYSE declined to comment.
The lack of widely available insurance against cyber-crime adds to the risk, as nearly four in five exchanges would have to bear the costs of a major attack themselves, the survey found.
The 58-page report said the survey of exchanges was the first of a series of surveys on cyber-crime across different types of securities market actors.
(Reporting by John McCrank; editing by Andrew Hay)
<div class="nc_footer">
Copyright (2013) Thomson Reuters. <a href="http://thomsonreuters.com/products_services/media/brand_guidelines/legal_notice/">Click for restrictions</a>
</div>

Report: Cyber Attacks On Stock Exchanges Put Markets At Risk

(Photo Source: wikimedia.org) <ul><li>Fake call centers in Indian cities—Gurugram and Noida—tricked over 50,000 people from across 15 countries in the name of IT giant, Microsoft. </li><li>The fraudsters in question notified people that their systems had been infected by a <keyword id="10860" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Virus">virus</keyword> via pop-up messages and offered them assistance as Microsoft support officials, in turn demanding money to rectify their system. </li><li>Investigating agencies — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Interpol and Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted police (RCMP) — have joined the investigation being conducted by the Gurugram and Noida police.</li></ul>Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Ltd was recently in talks with Gurugram police in to investigate a <keyword id="29409" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-crime">cyber crime</keyword> that went on to tricking people from over 15 countries in the name of Microsoft, Hindustan Times <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/gurugram-police-joined-hands-with-fbi-interpol-to-bust-call-centre-scam/story-RJA614XdShh4kv9MyUgBFJ.html?utm_campaign=fullarticle&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=inshorts">reported</a>. The fraud was reported at the Gurugram police commissioner’s office where teams from Singapore and Ireland presented the matter, along with India’s cyber crime team. <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/fake-call-centres-dupe-people-across-the-world/story-ttriXPJpzot8Sum0VjtNjN.html">Eight teams</a> were reportedly formed including 40 technical experts and 50 officials from the police force to raid the call centers. On 27 November, Microsoft filed 17 First Information Report (FIRs) against call centers in Gurugram and Noida. To counter the global fraud, Gurugram and Noida police along with other investigating agencies — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Interpol and Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted police (RCMP) — have shut down over 17 call centers, arresting 42 people involved in the scam, <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/gurugram-police-joined-hands-with-fbi-interpol-to-bust-call-centre-scam/story-RJA614XdShh4kv9MyUgBFJ.html?utm_campaign=fullarticle&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=inshorts">said the report</a>. According to <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/fake-call-centres-dupe-people-across-the-world/story-ttriXPJpzot8Sum0VjtNjN.html">reports</a>, the police suspects that the fraud may have affected over 50,000 people altogether pocketing worth hundreds of crores. However, a few suspects from the accused were released on bail, and defended themselves saying that there was no evidence against them, apart from a complaint from Microsoft Corporation. With the increasing number of complaints, Microsoft has also released a survey that said that one in every five consumers have shed money in such tech-support scams, PCMag<a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/365198/microsoft-helps-police-shut-down-fake-tech-support-centers-i"> reported</a>. How the call centre web worked? <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/fake-call-centres-in-gurgaon-use-pop-ups-to-con-microsoft-customers-12-held-in-raids/articleshow/66856188.cms">According to</a> the complaint and data provided by the company, the cyber experts in question associated with Delhi-based vendors and other online agents to fetch data of foreign citizens, including IP address and email IDs. The fraudsters then bugged into the targeted systems and notified them of a virus infection via pop-up messages. This lead to the users landing a call on a given number, which were operated from the call centers — the team then posed as Microsoft support team offering solutions to rectify their system and in turn demanded money. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/quora-says-100-million-user-accounts-may-have-been-hacked-giving-out-passwords-e-mails-in-massive-data-breach/articleshow/66933864.cms">Quora says 100 million user accounts may have been hacked giving out passwords, e-mails in massive data breach</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/apple-removed-scam-apps-that-used-a-devious-trick-to-steal-from-iphone-users-and-it-reveals-a-growing-problem-with-the-app-store/articleshow/66924983.cms">Apple removed scam apps that used a devious trick to steal from iPhone users - and it reveals a growing problem with the App Store</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-a-free-travel-insurance-offer-on-the-indian-railways-website-left-data-of-200000-passengers-exposed-to-hackers-for-two-years/articleshow/66604055.cms">How a free travel insurance offer on the Indian Railways website left data of 200,000 passengers exposed to hackers for two years</a>

Fake call centers in India tricked over 50,000 people across 15 countries, FBI joins investigation

In this age of increasing cyber crimes, it’s not easy to evade the <keyword id="96298" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-criminals">cyber criminals</keyword> from posing a threat to our personal data and money. In a recent case, cyber criminals conned banks, credit-card networks and a payment-security firm while moving hundreds of millions of dollars, as per the US government. 
 
The analysts have also said that this thing can easily happen again and it won’t be easy to stop this. 
 
On Tuesday, United States prosecutors announced indictments against a hacking ring which is linked to stock manipulation, gambling and fake pharmaceuticals. Reportedly, conmen veiled recipients as pet-supply and dress stores to move money through the global banking system. On being objected upon by financial firms, the group pretended to be shocked, paid fines and opened new accounts. 
 
Also, in a shocking turn of events, the hackers even hacked a security company, which was ironically supposed to detect their con. 
 
"Shame on this firm for being a victim, because if you're in that position you know the bad guys are coming after you," said Julie Conroy, a security specialist at payments researcher Aite Group. Big banks from around the globe have made a pledge to step up their efforts to stop these crimes; some would even pay billions of dollars in fines for past failings. 
 
Al Pascual, director of fraud and security at Javelin Strategy &amp; Research said that this was going to become much more common. "The level of complexity and sophistication here is very unique. But that being said, it's not as though others aren't trying to replicate it or are actively replicating these very steps,” he said. 
 
These tactics, via which money is laundered, were just one aspect of the actual picture, which is bigger and scarier. Gery Shalon, a 31-year-old Israeli from the Republic of Georgia who was arrested in July is at the center of all this. He is said to have used hacking as the backbone of a criminal conglomerate, which is reported to run illegal Internet casinos and elaborate pump-and-dump stock schemes. Shalon is being waited to be transferred to New York for trial. 
 
As per security analysts, the case clearly indicates how financial firms need to be more aware about their customers and the merchants who accept payments in form of cards. Regulators also need to consider making some change in its rules so that it is easier for the firms to share information with each other about cases they feel could be potential threats. 
 
"Everyone is subject to sophisticated data breaches, none of us are immune. From the best banks to the worst to the watchdogs. Good criminals can break in anywhere." 
 
<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/thinkific/courses/course_card_image_000/004/5721439493428.original.jpg?1439493428">Image source</a>

Banks facing the highest risk from cyber
criminals

<ul><li><keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> saw over 695,000 cyber attacks in just six months, according to a study from <keyword id="137092" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-security">cyber security</keyword> firm F-secure.</li><li>India ranked 21st on a list of countries that have seen cyber attacks and 13th among countries with highest number of cyber-criminals.</li><li>Cyber attacks continue to be of concern as they potentially put at risk crucial national infrastructure.</li></ul>India continues to be battered by frequent cyber attacks with the country seeing over 695,000 cyber attacks between January to June this year, according to a recent study. Most hackers targeted India were from Russia, the US, and China, said the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/india-witnesses-over-4-36-lakh-cyberattacks-from-russia-us-others-in-jan-jun-f-secure/articleshow/66575477.cms">study</a> from cyber security firm F-secure. Russia accounted for 2,55,589 attacks followed by the US (1,03,458), China (42,544), the <keyword id="44173" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netherlands">Netherlands</keyword> (19,169) and Germany (15,330), PTI reported citing the study. In contrast, 73, 482 attacks originated from India during the same period. The highest number of cases involving Indian cyber attackers included attacks towards Austrian organisations with 12,540 attacks, followed by the Netherlands (9,267), the UK (6,347), Japan (4,701), and Ukraine (3,708), stated the report. India ranked 21st among countries facing cyber attacks with 695,396 cases across the world. The US, with over 11 million attacks, was the most vulnerable country whereas the highest number of attacks originated from the UK. The study gathered information from 41 public servers, tracking <keyword id="54201" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malware">malware</keyword> and hacking techniques. The hackers were intentionally allowed to attack the server in order to monitor the volume and source of cyber crime. Cyber attacks continue to be of concern as they potentially put at risk crucial national infrastructure such as financial markets and transport networks. The Indian government expects to see a 10% rise in number of cyber attacks in 2018, Hindustan Times <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cyber-attacks-becoming-more-frequent-in-india/story-8Os6AtCrHzL6QCBinVQuSM.html">recently</a> reported citing government officials. There were about 53,000 cases of cyber attacks in 2017, said the report. Recently, the Indian government also said it will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/centre-to-battle-cyber-crime-strengthen-security-for-important-data/articleshow/64887567.cms">upgrade </a>its cyber security policy to secure government data and sensitive information.

You Searched For "cyber crime toll free number" and got 14 results

Indian police stations are struggling to access computers as cybercrime zooms

Preeti Soni

UK offers virtual cyber school for teens in Covid-19 lockdown

PTI

GSTN launches new toll-free number for helpdesk

PTI

India has seen 15,700 website hacks so far in 2018, nearly half the number from last year: report

BI India Bureau

Beware companies! Plug in all loopholes as cyber extortion is on the rise

BI India Bureau

Your money isn’t safe in the ATMs. Here’s why

BI India Bureau

How to contact Jio Fiber connection?

BI India Bureau

One year after one of the largest government data breaches, India finally has a national cyber forensic lab

BI India Bureau

Beware New Scam Offering $100 Gift Cards For Target And Wal-Mart

Hayley Peterson

Cyber Crimes To Surge In India, Likely To Touch 3-lakh mark In 2015

Purba Das

Report: Cyber Attacks On Stock Exchanges Put Markets At Risk

John McCrank, Reuters

Fake call centers in India tricked over 50,000 people across 15 countries, FBI joins investigation

BI India Bureau

Banks facing the highest risk from cyber criminals

Cyber attacks targeting India continue to rise — here’s why it’s worrying

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides