KEONICS launched to enhance cyber space security

KEONICS launched to enhance cyber space security

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 23: The IT, BT, and S&T department of the Government of Karnataka State Electronics Corporation Limited (KEONICS) has launched KEONICS Cyber Lab at Ramabhavan Complex, Navabharath Circle, Kodialbail, today. 

Speaking at a press conference held at the newly inaugurated office of KEONICS Cyber Lab, M. N. Vidyashankar IAS, the principal secretary of the IT, BT, and S&T department, said that, according to a Symantec survey, India has the highest number of outgoing junk and spam mail. Karnataka, the IT hub of India, has registered the largest number of cyber crimes. Owing to phishing, money laundering, defacement of websites, cyber stalking, identity theft, and others, the Internet has become very dangerous, he said.

Further speaking on the issue, he said that 64 cases were registered last year and 22 cases have been registered this year. Last month, 11 cases were filed and solved and this year has a total of 4 cases pending. He also said that 120 police officers will be trained by the private sector, not the government, for the protection of cyber space. 

Speaking of the importance of cyber space security management for national security, he said that the Internet is being used more and more for terrorist activities. 

He said that the purpose of KEONICS Cyber Lab is to strengthen the country’s cyber security system and that that it will start functioning locally and get national support. Some of the objectives of the cyber lab include conducting cyber safety sensitization programmes for government departments and function as a resource centre for law-enforcement authorities in the investigation of cyber crimes. KEONICS will focus primarily on the law enforcement cell, judiciary, government departments, banking, academia, and netizens. 

The inauguration ceremony of the cyber lab was held at Hotel Ocean Pearl and District-in-charge Minister Krishna J. Palemar inaugurated the facility. 

Dr. V. S. Acharya, the minister for higher education, who was the chief guest of the event, launched the Kannada website eSafe. He also said that terrorists gain illegal access to many important documents online, owing to which the country needs facilities such as KEONICS to protect the cyber space. 

Shailaja Bhat, the president of ZP, MLA Kota Shrinivas Poojary, MLA U. T. Khader, Mayor Praveen, and many others were also present.