Outlining the growing global cybersecurity threats, due to the new age technology adoption, Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that these challenges have evolved from ‘dynamite to metaverse’ and ‘hawala to crypto currency’. The Union minister while speaking at the ‘G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the Age of NFTs, AI & Metaverse’, said that the G20 countries should rise above the conventional boundaries and to take on the modern technology challenges.
While highlighting the emerging cybersecurity threats from darknet, metaverse, deepfakes, ransomware, toolkit-based misinformation campaigns and strategic digital targeting of critical information and financial systems, Union minister said the renewed focus of G20 nations should be on jointly working of new strategy to find solutions for cyber related crimes.
“The G20 has so far focused on digital transformation and data flow from an economic perspective, but now it is important to understand the aspects of crime and security, and find a solution,” Shah said.
While emphasising the significance of addressing the new-age cyber threats, Shah maintained that these pose a national concern, directly impacting crucial aspects such as national security, law and order, and the economy. To effectively combat such crimes and apprehend criminals, Shah said that there was a need to transcend traditional geographical boundaries in both thought and action.
The Union Minister also proposed a series of measures aimed at countering cyber criminals who operate across borders. Among some of the key cyber measures include the establishment of uniform laws across countries, development of a response mechanism tailored to the different legal frameworks of each country, the harmonization of benchmarks, best practices, and regulations, and enhanced coordination among cyber agencies worldwide.
Shah also stated that adopting an integrated and stable approach to cyber security policies would promote interoperability, foster trust in information sharing, and bridge the gaps in agency protocols and resources. Insisting on the real-time data sharing and pressing for adoption of cyber threat intelligence measures, Shah said that it should be activated by roping in industry and academia, “to safeguard critical national infrastructure,” Shah said.
The home minister also expressed the need for a balanced internet vision that neither compromises freedom of expression nor gives excessive freedom endangering the existence of nations. While acknowledging the positive role of technology in connecting individuals, communities, and countries, Shah also cautioned against the misuse of technology by anti-social elements and global forces that seek to inflict economic and social harm upon both citizens and governments.
