Need Of The Hour: Enhancing Cyber Security Awareness

The world is in the era of technology. The role of technology in today's generation is very essential. As it is making the lives of people simple and easy. The rapid growth of technology is in the trap of misuse. The development of new technology day by day brings both pros and cons to the daily lives of people. The case of cyberattack has been growing rapidly in different countries. Now the argument of cybersecurity is at its peak. Different countries are facing cyberattacks, and Nepal is also one of them.

It used to take weeks or months to send a message from one place to another. Today we live in an age where messages can travel from one place to another in a split second, breaking the days of sending and receiving messages through letters. Due to increasing technology and the misuse of it, people are now coming to their own arguments that science is a curse or a blessing.

Looking at world cyberattack history, technically the first cyberattack happened in France in 1834, before the invention of the Internet. The attackers stole financial market information by accessing the French telegraph system. Similarly, in 1988, the first major cyberattack on the Internet was carried out by Cornell graduate student Robert Morris. The 'Morris Worm' worldwide wave debut struck in the early 1990s, when the Internet was primarily the domain of academic researchers. It infected computer systems at Stanford, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, NASA, Lawrence Livermore Labs, and UC Berkeley, among others.

Cybercrimes of various forms are found on a daily basis. Which adds to the challenge. Pharming attacks, phishing, ransomware, malware, and phishing scams are all newly emerging global cybercrimes, which are also affecting major countries in the world.

In the context of Nepal, cybercrimes have increased significantly in the last decade. In January 2017, Nepal's government computer system suffered the biggest cyberattack. In which a group called 'Paradox Cyberghost' hacked 58 government websites. Tribhuvan International Airport is also a victim of cyberattacks from time to time, due to which we hear the news from time to time that thousands of passengers are stranded due to the impact on the flight.

A new form of cyberattack has added new challenges day by day. In the context of Nepal, it is necessary to raise awareness about cybersecurity to protect individuals, organizations, and the nation from cyber threats, but in the current environment, we can see the lack of public awareness of cybersecurity and cyberattacks from various incidents and scenarios. This seems to pose an additional risk, as some accessors may not even have knowledge of general cybersecurity. Cybercrimes of various forms are found on a daily basis. Which adds to the challenge. Pharming attacks, phishing, ransomware, malware, and phishing scams are all newly emerging global cybercrimes, which are also affecting major countries in the world.

According to the Cyber Bureau, in the last financial year, the bureau released the statistics of online fraud complaints of a total of 220 million rupees. Most of them are related to online investment or online jobs. A total of 508 such complaints have been filed. Last year, a total of 412 complaints related to online shopping were filed, and it was found that about 9 million rupees were cheated from such activities. Similarly, last year, a total of 126 complaints were filed in the Bureau regarding fraud by hacking personal social media accounts. More than 2 crore 13 lakh rupees have been defrauded by such action.

Looking at these statistics, Nepal is being attacked by cyberattacks. The government also seems to have to revise the laws necessary for cyberattacks and cybersecurity. It is not that the government has not taken steps to control cybercrime by creating various laws and policies. During the various periods, the law should be amended according to the times. Like the Electronic Transactions Act 2063.

The government should also run public awareness campaigns about various cybersecurity measures for its citizens. Thousands of illegal websites have been created in Nepal. Those websites should be closed and kept away from public access.

The Cybercrime Act, 2016, is included in the broader framework of the National Cyber Security Strategy and aims to define and punish cybercrimes such as hacking, identity theft, and fraud. It facilitates the implementation of cybersecurity protocols for both individuals and businesses. The Information and Communication Technology Policy 2072 provides guidelines for securing data, enhancing the security of public and private sector IT systems, and ensuring privacy of digital information. Cybersecurity is not only a matter of personal privacy but also a matter of national security. For this reason, it seems that the government has to take drastic measures to arrange it. Government must add the Cyber Crime Investigation System and Digital Forensic Lab of Nepal Police in the context of increasing cybercrime.

There must be a need to strengthen and expand to avoid cybercrime; first of all, citizens should be aware by themselves. The most important tool in defeating cybercrime is public awareness. If we know what software we are running and what kind of problems are caused by its misuse, we can avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime. The government should also run public awareness campaigns about various cybersecurity measures for its citizens. Thousands of illegal websites have been created in Nepal. Those websites should be closed and kept away from public access.

In coordination with the Nepal Telecommunication Authority and other media sectors, citizens can become literate by learning about cybersecurity by conducting various educational programs directly and indirectly about cybercrime and cybersecurity.

A major initiative in the United States is 'National Cyber Security Awareness Month.' As we chase the international practice . Those international practices are to be observed by the Nepal government, which aims to educate citizens about cyber security risks and promote safe online practices. In this month-long campaign, various stakeholders are coming together to raise awareness of the nation's cybersecurity resilience.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the National Cyber Security Center runs campaigns such as Cyber Aware to provide guidance and resources to protect individuals and businesses from cyber threats. The Australian Government conducts public awareness campaigns through the Australian Cyber Security Center and provides online resources to educate its citizens about cybersecurity. Initiatives such as 'Stay Smart Online' provide advice on staying safe online and raise awareness of the cyber threats individuals and organizations face.

To sum up, cybercrime and cybersecurity have become a global challenge. Millions of people have access to the Internet. This increase shows the need for increased digitization of services, expansion of internet access across the country, and public awareness about cybersecurity among the people. Students in schools, citizens in the society, and employees of financial institutions and the government should play an important role in reducing cybercrime in the society by taking various initiatives and programs to be aware of cybercrime.

The writer is currently studying BALLB at National Law College, Sanepa, Lalitpur .