2020 · GS Paper 3 · Q9 · 10 marks
Discuss different types of cyber crimes and measures required to be taken to fight the menace.
In short
Cyber crimes range from financial fraud and sextortion to ransomware on institutions and cyber terrorism against the State, and need a layered response of law, institutions, technology and awareness. Cyber security incidents in India rose from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024 (PIB, 2025).
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 298 words
Financial fraud
Phishing, UPI and "digital arrest" scams, often run from hubs like Jamtara, drain savings through mule accounts within minutes.
Crimes against persons
Cyber stalking, sextortion, deepfakes and child abuse material target dignity; NCRB recorded a 32% rise in cyber crime against children in 2022.
Attacks on organisations
The 2022 ransomware attack on AIIMS Delhi paralysed its servers, and the 2018 Cosmos Bank malware attack siphoned about ₹94 crore.
Crimes against the State
Cyber terrorism, espionage and disinformation, as after the 2025 Pahalgam attack, threaten critical infrastructure.
Stronger law
The IT Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 need a single cyber crime law, as the Home Affairs Standing Committee urged in 2025.
Institutions and reporting
I4C, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the 1930 helpline need a trained cyber cell in every district; CERT-In's 2022 directions mandate six-hour incident reporting.
Technology at the source
Blocking over 9.42 lakh fraud-linked SIM cards (PIB, 2025) cuts the tools of fraud.
Capacity and awareness
CyTrain forensic training, the UN Convention against Cybercrime (2024) and citizen digital literacy complete the shield.
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Cyber Security9 questions
Asked in 9 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2024Describe the context and salient features of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
- 2022What are the different elements of cyber security ? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy.
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