Safeguarding cyberspace in digital governance, IPS Rajeev Kumar, Principal Secretary, Dept of IT & Electronics, Govt of West Bengal, gives his insights

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Kolkata: In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, human behaviour plays a crucial role to ensure its security. The actions and decisions of individuals can make or break an organisation’s preparation against cyber threats. At the National Securing Cyberspace for Digital Governance Conclave held in Kolkata on 28th April, 2023, IPS Rajeev Kumar, the Principal Secretary of the Department of Information Technology & Electronics Government of West Bengal, gave a rundown on how the human element plays a major role in the cyberspace.

Many believe that the technology can take care of itself, but it is the human element that is in the frontline, assuring the protection of sensitive data in this heavily digitally dependent world.

At the National Securing Cyberspace for Digital Governance Conclave held in Kolkata on 28th April, 2023, IPS Rajeev Kumar, the Principal Secretary of the Department of Information Technology & Electronics Government of West Bengal, gave a rundown on how the human element plays a major role in the cyberspace.

Cyber Security

Cybersecurity involves the protection of computer systems, networks, and digital data from unauthorised access, theft, damage, or disruption, while making sure of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and technology resources.

It includes a wide range of measures, including technology solutions, policies, and user awareness, designed to protect against a variety of cyber threats, such as data breaches, hacking, malware, and social engineering attacks. It helps safeguard digital assets and maintain the overall security and privacy of online environments.

Human behaviour in cybersecurity

Human behaviour plays a crucial role in cybersecurity as it can act as both defence and as the weakest link. Kumar said, “The key to securing digital governance is human behaviour.”

Humans are often the weakest link with respect to cybersecurity as they are susceptible to phishing and social engineering, and can create vulnerabilities by creating weak passwords, non-compliance with security policies, and risky online behaviour.

“The fallacy here is because it is a technical field, we think we are dealing with a technical element, and therefore the solutions always have to be technical, which is not correct. Sometimes, we need to focus on things which are common sense and realise the fact that the weakest link in this chain is the human element,” Kumar added.

Securing cyberspace for judicial governance

Cybersecurity in judicial governance is paramount for safeguarding sensitive legal information and to maintain the trust of the people in the integrity of the judicial system. To ensure this, governments should conduct comprehensive risk assessments, identify vulnerabilities and data criticality.

There is also a need to implement strong access controls, data encryption, and regular updates. Cybersecurity education for all personnel, including judges and staff, to eradicate phishing and social engineering risks is equally important.

Kumar suggests thorough testing and application of new technology before introducing it to the public, concluding with the fact that 100 percent security can never be insured, but it is crucial to strive to attain the best.