India 96th in download speed, behind Nepal, Bangladesh

MUMBAI: A cashless economy is possible only when a country has high internet speeds and high cyber security. Though India is going through demonetisation , a major aim of which is to promote digital transactions, the country figures poorly in the global cyber stakes. The country is 96th in terms of download speed and 105th in terms of average bandwidth availability. It also has a record of poor internet security, which is progressively becoming worse.
While in download speed India is behind even Bangladesh and Nepal, it tops the world in terms of ‘ransomware’ attacks. These assaults target banks and establishments with sensitive, confidential information.

Users and experts alike are worried about growing cybercrime, with almost zero conviction. Cyber experts say the public in India are wary of cyber transaction for fear of falling victim to hacking attacks that steal personal data and in the face of which banks and the police more often than not plead helplessness.
Experts say the government should simultaneously give a thrust to expanding support infrastructure and vigilance to ensure safer online monetary transactions. When it comes to cybercrime, India is 6th in the world. The incidence of cybercrime in the country has doubled in just a year.
In terms of availability of bandwidth, Sri Lanka, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries are far ahead. Cyber experts welcome the digitisation of transactions, but lament the deplorable condition of IT infrastructure and education.

Deputy commissioner of police (cybercrime), Nagpur, Sachin Patil emphasises the need for awareness. “In card-based transactions, no one should disclose pin number or OTPs to anybody over the phone. People give fake calls claiming their association with banks and ask security details. Always swipe your card in front of yourself as sometimes it is swiped in skimmer devices which read your magnetic data on the card,” he said.
Endorsing reports by Kaspersky Lab and Akamai, which suggests that India tops the world in ransomware attacks, cyber expert Vijay Mukhy said even a person like him thinks twice before doing online monetary transactions.