India sees 40% increase in cyber crime: report

The latest statistics published by the home ministry, reveal that 62,819 incidents of cyber crimes were reported till June 2014 while in 2013, about 71,780 cases had been reported. The corresponding figures for 2012 were only 22,060 cases. The 2014 figures indicate over 40 per cent hike in the rate of cyber crimes.

Cyber crime includes publication of obscene content, computer hacking, credit card thefts and bank fraud apart from phishing, spamming, scanning, malicious code and website intrusions.

The report goes on to state that India being a rapidly growing economy, the country was more prone to cyber-crime at local as also international level, more than ever before.

The report added many countries from where cyber-crimes were committed, and the list includes Europe, Brazil, US, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Algeria, and UAE. In view of the fact that the attackers usually mask themselves, it is difficult to identify the source of the attack.

According to home minister Rajnath Singh's recent statement in Parliament, owing to the greater risk of indoctrination of the youth on the internet by terror outfits such as ISIS, cyber-monitoring was the need of the hour to ensure cyber crime-free environment.

Singh's statement came in response to concerns raised by MPs in the wake of arrest of Bangalore-based professional Mehdi Masroor Biswas for operating a pro-ISIS Twitter account.

Arif Majid, one of the Mumbai youths, who had been to an ISIS-controlled territory in Iraq and Syria, told police after his return that they were indoctrinated to extremist ideology through internet content.

The government has, meanwhile, established an expert group to chalk out strategies for effectively tackling the menace.

The group consisting of five members would prepare a road map for to tackle cyber crime in the country and give suitable recommendations on all its facets.