Spurt in cyber attacks on Indian firms and users in times of Covid-19

Some of those whom the pandemic has left jobless are resorting to cyber crimes to make quick money, while there is increased activity from Chinese hackers as well

A few weeks back, students at Jain Heritage School in Bengaluru were in for an unpleasant experience. In one of their daily lectures on Zoom, an unauthorised person entered the chat-room and hurled abuses at the group. The teacher immediately suspended the class and the matter was reported to the police.

The incident is one among the many instances of cyber hacks in the recent past. With the pandemic having forced people indoors, everything from education to healthcare and socialising has moved to digital platforms. In some cases, this has left users’ data and secured communication potentially exposed to hackers.