Workshop on cyber security held
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 24 2015:
A one-day workshop on cyber security awareness was held today at Hotel Imphal under the aegis of National Institute of Electronics and Infrastructure Technology (NIELIT), Akampat.
Principal Secretary (Cooperation) K Moses Chalai, NIELIT Imphal Director Th Prameshwor and NIT Manipur Director S Birendra attended the inaugural session of the workshop as chief guest, president and guest of honour.
Speaking at the gathering Th Prameshwor said that the workshop was being organised with the primary objective of creating awareness about internet, cyber security and cyber ethics under the sponsorship of Department of Electronics and IT, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India.
He said that cyber crime is a new dimension of criminal activities which spread all over the world in a fraction of a second regardless of political boundaries.
Cyber crimes can attack computer softwares as well as hardwares.
Online fraudulence, financial deceptions and sexploitation are some common dimensions of cyber crimes.
To provide telephone connectivity to 50 million people took 75 years and it took 38 years for radio to cover the same number of people.
Television took 13 years but internet took just four years to link 50 million people.
Out of the planet's total population of 7.30 billion, 40 per cent (3 billion) have internet connection today and the figure is rising very rapidly.
Under such circumstances, cyber attacks are assuming the proportions of National security because a country's key sectors like defence, banking and power are connected by computer networks or internet, Prameshwor said.
At one point of time, cyber crimes were committed at individual level or by small groups.
But nowadays, cyber crimes are being committed by syndicates of well trained professionals.
Their activities range from theft, fraudulence, phising, illegal gambling, online marketing of generic drugs and many more.
Cyber crimes can be effectively checked only when internet users are made fully aware of information and communication technology, he added.
Dr S Birendra said that 60 per cent of internet users are using hand-held devices like smart phones, tablets and mobile phones for accessing internet connectivity.
Even though protective shields are installed in most desktops and laptops, but most of these hand-held devices have little protection.
Cyber armies have been set up in many developed countries.
They are either used for defence against cyber attacks or in launching cyber offensives against another country or both, Dr Birendra said.
He then highlighted the importance spreading extensive awareness about cyber security to all the internet users.
Many experts later presented different papers related to the workshop's main topic which was followed by an interaction session.