Cybercriminals make the most of Covid amid increased digital user presence

Cybercriminals have used the Covid pandemic to their advantage and made the most of it, as companies made employees work from home, and as individuals increasingly started using online platforms for transactions. 

A recent study by Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report puts the spotlight on cybercriminal activity in India and its impact.

• In a year filled with restrictions and lockdowns, cybercriminals were not deterred, as nearly 59 per cent of Indian adults experienced cybercrime in the past 12 months

• Nearly 1.3 billion hours were spent trying to resolve the issues created (an average of 10.8 hours), because an estimated three-quarters of the past year’s cybercrime victims (72 per cent) were impacted financially

• More than one-third of Indian adults (36 per cent) detected unauthorised access to an account or device in the past 12 months

• More than two in five Indian consumers (45 per cent) have experienced identity theft, with 14 per cent impacted in the past year alone, as compared to 10 per cent the year before, making it over 27 million Indian adults who experienced ID theft in 2020. As a result, two-thirds of Indian consumers wish they had more information on what to do if their identity were stolen

• 70 per cent of Indian adults surveyed believe that remote work has made it much easier for hackers and cybercriminals to take advantage of people

• 66 per cent of respondents said that they are more worried than ever before about becoming a victim of a cybercrime

• Only a little over one-third (36 per cent) who had experienced unauthorised access, purchased security software or increased pre-existing security software

• 52 per cent of respondents said they do not know how to protect themselves from cybercrime