ASEAN-India summit: MEA stresses on importance of cybersecurity amid COVID related frauds

second edition of ASEAN-India Track 1.5 Dialogue on Cyber Issues focussed on cybersecurity on backdrop of coronavirus related frauds. virtual summit was organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with Ministry of External Affairs. dressing inaugural session, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East) in MEA, said that COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated 'digitisation' and ‘cyberisation’ of engments as Work from Home has become a new rm.

“Dependence on virtual platforms has risen steeply. re is a greater dependence on digital payment platforms due to reduced cash handling. Greater data sharing is happening online. Presence on social media has also increased,” Singh told summit.

Indian diplomat highlighted key role of digital techlogies in keeping supply chains open for an accelerated and sustainable ecomic recovery in region. He said that increasing dependence on digital techlogies calls for measures to secure cyber domain from malicious actors. Citing an INTERPOL assessment report of COVID-19 cybercrime impact on Asia and South Pacific region, Singh said that major cybersecurity trends include COVID-19 related frauds, phishing campaigns and online sale of fake medical supplies and PPEs.

“INTERPOL warns that cybercriminals are taking vant of ecomic downturn and people's anxiety and have enhanced ir social engineering tactics by using COVID-19 as basis for ir attacks,” Singh ded.

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Infodemic impacting COVID-19 response

senior official furr warned about scourge of "fake news”, "wrong information” and in some cases "targeted disinformation”. Singh said that ‘infodemic’ of information has interfered with ir abilities to craft proper public health and ecomic responses to COVID-19 crisis. He mentioned that rical elements are using social media platforms to disseminate misinformation through hate speech, fake news and doctored videos. 

“In closing, I hope that technical sessions that follow this inaugural event will facilitate an active exchange of ideas and experiences,” said Singh in his concluding remarks.

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