Cyber security deterrence achievable: Expert
Ben Wootliff
Deterrence
in terms of national cyber security is a big challenge the world over, given
that identification of the sources from where the threats emanate is a
time-consuming process, according to cyber expert Ben Wootliff. However, it is
achievable, he added.
“It
can be difficult to find an attribution to a cyber attack: was it a foreign
state, an individual or an activist group? It is a tricky issue,” said Mr.
Wootliff of the Hong Kong-based Control Risks, who was in the national capital
to participate in a cyber security and internet governance conference.
Mr.
Wootliff, who has carried out over 200 investigative due diligence, litigation
support, fraud and investor intelligence assignments in Asia, Europe and Latin
America, said: “When you attack without determining the identity (of the
perpetrator), it undermines deterrence.”
The
perpetrators could be operating from different foreign jurisdictions, hiding
behind multiple levels of disguise in the cyber space. “Attribution often takes
time and therefore, deterrence can be used over the long term. We want to
retaliate quickly, but do not have the required information immediately
available to us,” he said.
In
the recent past, Indian government agencies and corporates have come under
cyber attacks on multiple occasions. This May, two cyber security firms claimed
to have identified espionage groups that targeted computer systems in
government agencies and e-commerce businesses.
There
are largely three sources of cyber threats to corporates: state-sponsored;
criminals out to extort money; and activist groups which believe that a
particular corporate’s activities undermine their cause, said Mr. Wootliff.
Common
tool
“Certain
states may want to steal intellectual property or technology, information or
assets. Activists get motivated often by publicity and also by grievance or the
cause they promote,” he said, adding that ransomware is currently the most
common tool for cyber criminals to extort money from corporates.
Through
ransomware, which is increasingly becoming sophisticated in terms of
technology, criminals block access of corporates to their own data stored in
servers and demand ransom to release it. The cyber expert said law enforcement
agencies are often able to identify the sources of such threats, which are
usually located abroad, but in many cases certain foreign jurisdictions do not
show much interest in taking action against perpetrators.
While
safeguarding critical national infrastructures, like banking systems, power
grids, core national security assets, remains top in the priority list of
government agencies, Mr. Wootliff said an institutionalised mechanism should
also be in place to address the grievances of individual consumers who suffer
huge financial losses and mental trauma owing to cyber attacks.
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Manager @ Library
Khaitan & Co
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