Description

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Context:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the threat of online scams during his Mann ki Baat radio address.

About Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C)

It is a government initiative to deal with cybercrime in India, in a coordinated and effective manner. It is affiliated to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The scheme to set up the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre was approved in October 2018 by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India).

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has 7 components which are:

National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit (TAU)
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
National Cyber Crime Training Centre
Cyber Crime Ecosystem Management Unit
National Cyber Crime Research and Innovation Centre
National Cyber Crime Forensic Laboratory (NCFL) Ecosystem
Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Investigation Team

Digital arrest scams

A digital arrest scam is an online scam that defrauds victims of their hard-earned money. Scammers pose as personnel from various government agencies, including the police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), or Enforcement Directorate.

Using a combination of audio and video calls through platforms such as WhatsApp or Skype, they intimidate victims by accusing them of involvement in illegal activities – transporting drugs or dealing in contraband goods, supposedly detected through suspicious packages, money laundering investigations, or the misuse of personal information such as Aadhaar details.

Salt Typhoon

It is an advanced persistent threat actor operated by the Chinese government which conducts cyber espionage campaigns against targets in North America and Southeast Asia. Active since 2020, the group has engaged in widespread data theft, particularly capturing network traffic.

Former NSA analyst Terry Dunlap has called the group "another component of China's 100-Year Strategy." According to former CISA director Chris Krebs and other U.S. officials, the group may be affiliated with China's Ministry of State Security.

What is Cybersquatting?

Cybersquatting is a form of cybercrime where the perpetrator buys or registers a domain name that is identical or similar to an existing domain with the intention of profiting from a recognizable trademark, company name, or personal name.

Crucially, the act is illegal because of the bad faith intent of the squatter. Due to its nature, domain squatting can be considered a form of trademark infringement, though there are differences between the two. There are several types of cybersquatting, and attacks may be carried out with different goals in mind.

Type of Cybersquatting	Description
Typosquatting	Involves purchasing domain names with common typographical errors of well-known brands (e.g., "yajoo.com" instead of "yahoo.com") to capture traffic from users who mistype URLs.
Identity Theft	Cybersquatters duplicate legitimate brand websites to deceive consumers by creating a convincing but fraudulent site.
Name Jacking	Targets celebrities or public figures by impersonating them through fake websites or social media profiles.
Reverse Cybersquatting	Individuals falsely claim ownership of a trademark and accuse the actual domain owner of cybersquatting, reversing the roles.

READ ABOUT-

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) -

Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC)

Cyber security

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Evaluate the role of technology in facilitating online scams. What strategies can be employed to enhance cybersecurity and protect users from falling victim to these scams? (150 words)