Personal data to draw attention of hackers in 2017: Report

With the rise in the number of mobile internet users in India, malware attacks on smartphones' operating systems have increased and mobile applications through which people hack into phones to access personal data show the same trend, a study has found.

The report "Going Cashless and Digital: Top Cyber Threats and Targets for 2017" released on Thursday by BD Software, country partner of Bitdefender -- cyber security solutions provider -- highlights major trends in the cyber threat landscape in India in 2017.

"Marked with high-profile breaches and the feel of excitement and uncertainty over the country's move towards digitising all spheres of life and economy, the outgoing 2016 sets high expectations of more advanced, more complicated and possibly more devastating security breaches in the coming year," said Ajay Khubchandani, IT Security Expert, BD Software, in a statement.

According to the report, cashless transactions through ATMs, Point of Sale terminals, online banking websites and others are also potential targets of the cyber criminals.

The report noted that personal data is likely to draw the attention of cybercriminals in the coming year.

"As India is becoming more and more digital, the personal data of all sorts, from biometrics and family records to bank accounts and social media accounts is in danger," the report added.

Researchers predicted that connected devices or Internet of Things (IoT) is another target for cyber attacks.

In governments, government agencies and state-affiliated organisations, the scale of data breaches is going to increase further with cross-border tensions continuing in many regions of the world, the report warned.

--IANS

qd/lok/bg