Odisha Police In Collaboration With UNICEF To Launch Cyber Awareness Week

The number of cyberattacks has been increasing in Odisha. While there were merely 120 hacking activities targeted at the state’s computer network in 2013, the figure was recorded at 867 cases five years later. This extraordinary growth rate has set off alarm bells to the cybersecurity infrastructure of Odisha. In an attempt to counter the problem, Odisha police have collaborated with UNICEF to hold a training program concerning cyber awareness of the state’s residents and organizations.

The cyber training program consists of three different phases. The first one took place in June this year at Bhubaneswar, with the participation of 200 Odisha police personnel. The upcoming event will mark the implementation of the second phase, which is expected to last for a seven-day period. All the policemen and residents from 30 districts of Odisha will take part in this training week.

The mission of the program

According to Santosh Upadhyay, the additional director general of Odisha police, the main purpose of this program is to raise community awareness against cybercrimes. To deal with the increasing trend of online frauds, public awareness is one of the most vital parts of prevention. Additionally, the Odisha government is planning to establish a pool of cyber experts who have sufficient skills and experiences to probe any cyber attack.

It is said that the training program’s main focus is on cyber offenses against children, especially girls. Previously, Crime Branch has started a prevention campaign targeting cybercrimes involving women and children which is called CCPWC.

The deficiency of cyber experts

Odisha currently has cyber police stations in four locations including Sambalpur, Berhampur, Cuttack, and Rourkela. However, the officers don't have the expertise to handle the demand of people in the state. Along with that, police stations have lots of difficulties in processing cyber-related complaints due to the lack of skill and ability. Meanwhile, cyberattacks these days are increasing both in terms of both stealth and complexity.

The agency has made continuous efforts to upgrade the cyber forensic system of the state. In addition to the previous prevention campaign and this training program, Odisha also set up a training center and a laboratory, equipping them with advanced equipment to investigate and combat cyber incidents across the state.