SAFER INTERNET DAY, 2023
There is no denying that the Internet has dramatically changed our everyday lives. A powerful tool with enormous opportunities in various fields, it certainly is one of man’ greatest inventions. However, with opportunities come the threats. There would hardly be anyone who has spent time on the Internet and not faced trolls or abuses. With the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet also serves as a weapon in the arsenal of cybercriminals to upgrade their cyber attacks. So, the Internet is now both a boon and bane.
Therefore, for a safer and more responsible use of online technology by people around the world, Safer Internet Day is celebrated on the second day of the second week of the second month of every year.
Ahead of this day, a few cybergeeks shared their thoughts on safer internet practices with Sunday POST
‘Cyber crime and cyber security
are directly proportional’
Cuttack born Sindhu Biswal, a digital marketer, mentors the start-up founders. He says that the policies are yet not tight in India when asked about the safer internet practices.
“A lot of chats, and conversations are encrypted which has a massive scope of data leak. And primarily there is a big data gap as well. For example, there are some landing pages where you go and share your email ids and phone numbers which get sold in the dark web market and eventually your data is leaked and misutilised,” added Sindhu.
Can one use AI to fortify cyber security? To this he continues: “Yes, there’s a massive scope. What AI can do is, it can help in image recognition during cyber security, it can be implemented in the ATM machines, in all websites, to track malwares, to track click bots, to track viruses and a lot of automations can happen in cyber security.”
Asked whether there is any interconnection between cyber crime and cyber security, he said, “I think they are directly proportional because some of the people who are involved in cyber security, are also getting involved in cyber crime. But the point is the tighter you stretch the security, loopholes will keep appearing.”
Sindhu was of the opinion that AI should be included in academics as soon as possible. “Many of us are not aware of the non legit website of a domain or the email which has malware or where fishing activity is happening or not. The pace at which we are moving, this has to be a mandatory subject in elementary schooling systems. Also that you can’t teach this stuff in one grade and expect people to get updated because every year the models of crime change so it has to be an ongoing practice where you update the curriculum and the government has to work with private folks to empower this.”
Another good practice to remain is to secure the devices, he said.
“Everyone should know that information is very private and personal. None of your private moments should be out there in public. Let’s say if you have a public channel on Instagram and you have a baby born tomorrow, just don’t go and post the pictures, even if you do then don’t go and tag the location. That puts you in a vulnerable position. If any website or any person asks you for your contact information like numbers, then you need to start questioning. The new debit and credit cards have RFID, start learning what it is. Do not keep your credit cards in back pockets, because somebody can touch it and take money out of it. Understand that when somebody asks for OTP or CVV, do not share it, learn about it. Understand how you keep your settings clean on Facebook and Instagram. There’s a way on Google, Facebook and Instagram where you can keep on removing data of the advertisers that are targeting you,” concluded Sindhu.
‘Value your data the same
way you value your time’
Aman Kharwal is a writer, a data scientist, and a data storyteller. He contributes in the Data Science community also. He likes to share how businesses from various domains are using Data Science to solve their business problems.
The founder of Statso.io, a platform for Data Science professionals, explains the downsides of machine learning and AI.
“There are several downsides to the use of machine learning and AI. Machine learning algorithms can be influenced by the data that they are trained on, and if the data is biased, the algorithm will also be biased. This can lead to unfair or inaccurate predictions or decisions. Besides, Machine Learning algorithms rely on high-quality data to be accurate, and if the data is incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect, the algorithm will also be inaccurate,” he said and added that privacy concern is also a big issue.
It is important for organizations to consider these downsides when implementing ML and AI, and to take appropriate steps to mitigate them.
Aman believes that the governments, financial institutions, and companies that offer cloud services are most likely to be the victim of cybercrimes. Hence such organizations should hire the best cyber security professionals to keep their systems safe.
“I want to tell everyone to never share their information on any platform they don’t trust. It’s easy to save your passwords online today; it’s easy for the computer to remember your credit card details. But always make sure you are not saving your details on any platform you have just visited for the first time. Don’t click on any link before ensuring if the sender is genuine. Your data has value that you don’t know about, so value your data the same way you value your time. Don’t give or leave it anywhere,” signed off Aman.
‘No online activity
is completely safe’
Geekydev is a passionate soul about technology. His instagram page : @geekydev.in (More like my TechGram) is a community channel with more than 115k followers that shares useful content and resources for tech enthusiasts to level up their skills. Here’s what he had to say about Internet safety.
“While following safer internet practices can help reduce the risk of your information being compromised, it is important to understand that no online activity is completely safe. Even with the best security measures in place, there is always a chance that your information could be accessed by someone with malicious intent. It is important to be aware of the potential risks and to take steps to minimize them as much as possible, such as using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious about the information you share online,” he said.
Speaking about the scope of AI in cyber security, he continued: “The scope of AI in cyber security is broad and encompasses various applications, including threat detection and response. AI-based systems can automatically detect and respond to cyber threats in real-time, such as intrusion detection and prevention, malware detection, and phishing attacks. It can also identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks, prioritising them based on their potential impact and the likelihood of being exploited. AI-based systems can analyze large amounts of security data to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate a security incident. Overall, the use of AI in cyber security can help organisations detect and respond to threats more quickly and effectively, and can improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of their security operations.”
Quizzed about the reasons behind simultaneous growth of cyber crime and cyber security, he said, “There are several reasons. As technology continues to advance, new vulnerabilities and attack methods are constantly being discovered, which can be exploited by cybercriminals. Then, the widespread use of the Internet and interconnected devices have made it easier for cybercriminals to access and target victims from anywhere in the world. Third, the value of data and information has increased, so as the incentive for cybercriminals to target it. This has led to an increase in the number and sophistication of cyber attacks. Cybercrime is becoming more profitable, and the return on investment is higher than traditional crime. This has led to an increase in the number of cybercriminals and organised cybercrime groups.”
Talking about the potential victims of cyber crime, Geekydev explained, “Cyber crimes can affect anyone who uses the Internet, but certain groups are more likely to fall victim to cyber crimes than others such as small businesses, older adults and teenagers. Small businesses often have fewer resources to devote to cyber security, and may not have the same level of expertise as larger organizations. Older adults are mostly less familiar with technology and may be more likely to fall for scams. Children and young people are particularly at risk of cyberbullying, online grooming and other forms of exploitation. Then high net worth individuals and organizations may be targeted by cybercriminals for financial gain.”
On protection against it, he said, “Using strong and unique passwords for all online accounts can protect them from being duped. Then you have to be careful about the information you share online, and think twice before sharing personal information such as your home address or phone number. There is also a need to keep your software and devices up to date to ensure that you have the latest security patches and features.
“It is also important to not click on links or enter personal information in response to unsolicited emails or messages. Apart from installing the required anti-virus in your device, one needs to monitor the accounts and financial systems regularly. If you suspect that your computer or online account has been compromised, seek professional help from a reputable cyber security expert to help you clean up and recover from the incident,” cautioned the expert.
