Cyber Threats and Terrorism By Amla Kanvinde-FINS

 Author Has previously worked with Siemens. She is a management graduate from Glasgow UK, studied psychology and certified in Cyber Law. She is a German language expert. Currently works in the area of people centric Cybersecurity. We all live in Cyberspace now. And this cyberspace is like our universe, it is infinite and ever expanding. There is no beginning and no end and there is no count of the number of players in this cyberspace. Our modern way of living is greatly dependent on the internet and connected systems. This cyberspace is also the basis of all our future plans. We plan industrial automation for our manufacturing sector, smart transportation and logistics systems, driverless cars, e-learning platforms, efficient healthcare systems, innovations for the agricultural sector, smart cities. All this will happen with complex, connected and interdependent systems of the future and security concerns will only increase. We will be entering even deeper into cyberspace in the future. Our Critical Information Infrastructure are energy grids, water and wastewater systems, Government facilities, transportation and logistics systems, banking and finance systems, Defense systems, healthcare facilities, telecommunication. These are the systems that are critical for individuals, businesses and for the nation. Disruptions to these systems have a huge economic, social and political impact. The main types of threats that these systems face are data threats and operational threats. Data threat is where data security and integrity is compromised. Customer names and credit card numbers are breached from a bank, patient data is compromised from a healthcare facility, reservation data is lost from a luxury hotel chain. Operational threats are when the regular operations are disturbed and the system does not function as desired. Connectivity problems in cell phone network, problems in smooth supply of electricity through the power grids, disruption to the water supply systems. The costs attached to cyber-attacks are many. There are financial losses. There is loss of productivity and opportunity. There is loss of reputation. There are forensic costs involved, cost to retrieve the data, free the systems from viruses, set up new protection mechanisms. These costs can be a huge burden. A cyber attack can set a business back by several years. In some cases, it can lead to complete closure of business. It is absolutely necessary that cyber security and awareness is given the importance it deserves. The systems are attacked either by exploiting the technical vulnerabilities or through Social Engineering. There are some technical flaws in the systems set up by cyber defenders and this gives the attackers an entry into the system. Social engineering attacks aim at people and not the system at all. They depend on humans to be the weak link. They exploit the natural human biases and emotions like fear, sympathy and temptation, Cybercrimes and Cyber terrorism Every crime is not an act of terrorism. Cybercrimes are against individuals and businesses. When they are against governments or nations, they become acts of terrorism. The motive behind cybercrimes is mainly monetary gains. Sometimes it is thrill or ego. In case of cyber terrorism, they want to hold the system hostage, to promote their cause, to put pressure on the government and create fear among the public, to prove a point or its just vengeance. Cyber criminals are after money. They don’t care which system they attack as long as they get the money. But cyber terrorists will attack those systems that will cause maximum damage, affect maximum people and for the longest possible period. Cyber criminals don’t want their acts to be noticed at all. Cyber terrorists on the other hand, want publicity for their actions. Cyber incidents from around the world Petya and NotPetya are malware. They affected thousands of computers worldwide in 2016 and 2017. Petya was a standard piece of ransomware that aimed to make a few bitcoins from the victims. NotPetya was a Russia sponsored attack targeting Ukraine, but it quickly spread to Europe and the US. It affected the Danish logistics company Maersk. This company has a terminal at our very own JNPT Port. The terminal went down too. Since our ports operate multiple terminals, the situation could be controlled. This NotPetya affected the Russian oil company Rosneft as well. The opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018 was disrupted by a cyberattack. The official website had to be taken down. Initially North Korea was blamed for the attack. But US intelligence later found the attack carried out by Russian Military agency GRU. There was a ban on Russian team from participating in the winter games due to doping allegations. So this attack was in retaliation to the ban. The attackers had routed the attack IPs to North Korea to make it appear like their handiwork. Stuxnet is a computer worm that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. It attacked the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to automate the Processes. It caused severe damage to the nuclear facilities. The worm was introduced in the target environment through an infected USB. Infected USBs were scattered around the premises such that they would be found. An employee tried to open it on the workplace PC and the worm entered the system. This highlights the importance of designing the systems with care, having a robust security mechanism and a response plan in place. These are the pillars of India’s cyber security architecture. The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, under the National Technical Research Organization, helps design secure information systems and also protects the existing ones. The Indian Computer Emergency Response team is under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, analyses and shares cyber intelligence and takes emergency measures for handling security incidents. Cert IN aims to promote effective IT securities practices throughout the country. It offers prestigious certifications in the area of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. The empaneled auditors are authorized to evaluate information security risks and controls of the companies to be audited. We have The Information Technology Act 2000, to handle the legal matters in cyberspace. It defines cybercrimes, prescribes punishments and provides remedies. It has given a big boost to e-commerce and e-governance in the country by giving validity to e- contracts and digital 6 7 “Stitched in Silence: Stories of Bangladesh's Factory Laborers”, is an evocative exploration of the often- overlooked lives of garment factory workers in Bangladesh. This collection of narratives sheds light on the untold stories of those who play a pivotal role in the global fashion industry yet remain hidden behind the seams. It delves into the challenges and resilience of these individuals, unveiling their dreams, struggles and aspirations. This article invites us to recognise the individuals who have long remained invisible in the supply chain, emphasising the importance of acknowledging and valuing their contributions. In the bustling metropolises and rural towns of Bangladesh, millions of skilled hands toil in obscurity, weaving the fabric of the global fashion industry. These individuals, working silently in the heart of garment factories, bear the immense responsibility of producing the clothes that drape our bodies, all while their own stories remain largely unheard. "Stitched in Silence: Stories of Bangladesh's Factory Laborers" is a poignant exploration of this hidden world, a world where the human cost behind our clothing choices is woven with threads of hope, hardship and resilience. Fashion is a global phenomenon, with the latest trends and styles effortlessly traversing borders. Yet, the human faces behind the garments we purchase often remain invisible. This article sets out to unveil the profound and often heart- rending narratives of the garment factory workers of Bangladesh, individuals who form the backbone of an industry that touches every corner of the world. As consumers, we seldom pause to consider the journeys undertaken by the garments we buy. This article offers a unique opportunity to delve into the lives of these unsung heroes, providing a voice to those who have been relegated to the shadows of an industry that generates billions of dollars every year. And it also reflects on the ethics of fast fashion and advocates for fair labour practices. The Ready- Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh has seen significant growth since the 1980s. The Ready- Made Garment (RGM) industry also contributes remarkably to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This industry also provides opportunities for income, exports and jobs for the people of Bangladesh and has thus become the lifeline of Bangladesh’s economy. This industry alone provides jobs to approximately four million people in the country, majority being women workers- as per the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association or the BGMEA. Stitched in Silence: Stories of Bangladesh's Factory Laborers By Dr.Santhosh Mathew Author is Associate Professor at Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies & Social Sciences, Pondicherry Central University, India. We have The Information Technology Act 2000, to handle the legal matters in cyberspace. It defines cybercrimes, prescribes punishments and provides remedies. It has given a big boost to e-commerce and e-governance in the country by giving validity to e- contracts and digital signatures. Under the Ministry of Home Affairs we have The Indian Cyber Crime Co-ordination Centre. It operates the National Cyber Crime reporting Portal. It also has a Crime Research and Innovation Centre. Along with this it is also necessary to focus on the human element in the Cybersecurity matrix. Having vague ideas about the cyber risks doesn’t suffice. We have to be empowered to identify threats quicker, prevent threats wherever possible and respond to them better. This is possible when we function in the cyber world with more awareness about how it affects us, how humans interact with technology and how it affects our thought patterns, expectations and ultimately our behaviour.