Over 500% Rise In Cyber Security Incidents Since 2016: Govt Data

Around 3.13 lakh incidents, including website hacking and phishing attacks, were reported till October this year.

Updated on: 27 November 2019 6:59 pm

Over 500% Rise In Cyber Security Incidents Since 2016: Govt Data

Around 3.13 lakh cybersecurity incidents, including website hacking and phishing attacks, were reported till October this year, government told the Parliament on Wednesday.

As per the information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 50,362 and 53,117 cybersecurity incidents were reported in 2016 and 2017, respectively, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Sanjay Dhotre said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The numbers show there has been a steep rise of 523 per cent in attacks on cybersecurity since 2016.

These incidents - which included phishing, network scanning and probing, virus/malicious code and website hacking - increased to 2,08,456 in 2018. In 2019, till October, the number of such incidents stood at 3,13,649, he added.

"In tune with the dynamic nature of Information Technology and emerging cyber threats, continuous efforts are required to be made by owners to protect networks by way of hardening and deploying appropriate security controls," he said.

He added that there have been attempts from time-to-time to launch cyber attacks on Indian cyberspace.

"It has been observed that attackers are compromising computer systems located in different parts of the world and use masquerading techniques and hidden servers to hide the identity of actual systems from which the attacks are being launched," he said.

For the resolution of incidents involving systems outside the country, CERT-In devises response measures in coordination with its counterpart agencies in foreign countries, the minister added.

In reply to another question, Dhotre cited data maintained by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs and said a total of 12,317 and 21,796 cyber-crime cases were registered in 2016 and 2017, respectively showing a rise of 77 per cent.

"These include cases registered under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and related sections of Indian Penal Code and Special & Local Laws involving computer as medium/ target," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)