Digital arrest

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement is not intended.

Context:

• Following increasing reports of “digital arrests” by cybercriminals posing as law enforcement officers, the central government has collaborated with Microsoft to block more than 1,000 Skype IDs used for online intimidation, blackmail, and extortion.

What is ‘Digital Arrest’?

• ‘Digital arrest’ is a new and innovative tactic employed by cybercriminals to defraud victims and extort money.

Modus Operandi:

• In this cybercrime, method is that fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials such as the police, Enforcement Directorate, and CBI, among others, and manipulate them into believing that they have committed some serious crime.
• The cyber fraudsters deceive the victim into believing that he or she has been put under ‘digital arrest’ and will be prosecuted if they do not pay the scamsters a huge amount of money.
• The cyber criminals often force the naive victims to self-arrest or self-quarantine themselves, by tricking them into believing that they have been put under ‘digital arrest’ and cannot leave their house unless they pay up.

Measures to protect oneself from digital arrest:

Sustaining a practical and observant approach toward cybersecurity is the key to lowering the peril of being targeted and experiencing digital arrest. Following are certain best practices for ensuring the same:

• Cyber Hygiene: This includes maintaining cyber hygiene by regularly updating passwords, and software and also enabling two-factor authentications to reduce the chances of unauthorized access.
• Phishing Attempts: These can be evaded by refraining from clicking on dubious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources and also authenticating the legitimacy of emails and messages before sharing any personal information.
• Secured devices: By installing reputable antivirus and anti-malware solutions and keeping operating systems and applications up to date with the latest security protocols.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): VPNs can be employed to encrypt internet connections thus enhancing privacy and security. However one must be cautious of free VPN services and OTP only for trustworthy providers.
• Monitor online services: A regular review of online accounts for any unauthorized or unlawful activities and setting up alerts for any changes to account settings or login attempts may help in the early detection of cybercrime and coping with it.
• Secure communication channels: Using secure communication techniques such as encryption can be done for the protection of sensitive information. Sharing of passwords and other information must be cautiously done especially in public forums.
• Awareness: The increasing prevalence of cybercrime known as "digital arrest" underscores the need for preventive measures and increased public awareness. Educational initiatives that draw attention to prevalent cyber threats—especially those that include law enforcement impersonation—can enable people to identify and fend off scams of this kind. The collaboration of law enforcement agencies and telecommunication companies can effectively limit the access points used by fraudsters by identifying and blocking susceptible calls.

Important links:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/indias-new-vpn-rules

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/smishing-45#:~:text=Typically%2C%20phishing%20attacks%20occur%20via,to%20enter%20their%20sensitive%20information.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/digital-arrest-police-cybercrime-skype-9333423/

https://www.india.com/technology/what-is-digital-arrest-mha-issues-advisory-dot-urges-citizens-to-ignore-fake-calls-6928496/

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements about the term “ digital arrest” recently seen in the news. Digital arrest is the process of arresting criminals through digital mediums such as social media. It is frequently used by law enforcement officers such as CBI to arrest criminals on social media. Which of the above statements is/are correct? A.1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Answer: D