Cybercrime Battle Expands: From India to Southeast Asia

Cybercrime hubs are shifting to Southeast Asia, with the CBI tackling these threats globally. At a national conference, strategies were discussed to dismantle cybercriminal networks and enhance inter-agency cooperation. Efforts emphasize the use of AI, improved fraud reporting, and international collaboration to address this complex issue.

Cybercrime, once predominantly linked to Indian regions like Jamtara and Mewat, is now expanding into Southeast Asian nations such as Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, according to CBI Director Praveen Sood. Addressing a national conference, he highlighted the geographical shift and emphasized the continuous threat, irrespective of borders.

The conference, organized by the CBI and the Ministry of Home Affairs' anti-cybercrime unit I4C, discussed strategic measures to counteract these threats by dismantling the core infrastructure of cyber gangs. Sood underscored the importance of SIM cards and bank accounts in enabling these crimes and highlighted the CBI's impressive conviction rate.

Focusing on collaboration, the CBI has been engaging with international agencies like the FBI to unmask large criminal networks. The event also addressed the critical components of the cyber-fraud ecosystem, including financial, telecom, and human aspects, emphasizing technology's role in scaling interventions amidst personnel limitations.

(With inputs from agencies.)