Reports from India, which suggest that the subcontinent could potentially become a hub of cybercrime, concern all Internet users. The reason is simple – we all live in the same global Internet village.
According to Mr Herald D'Costa, director of the Indian IT security firm Intelligent Quotient, 97 % of Indian Internet users are unaware of IT security issues. With the majority of the population using Internet cafes, this comes is disconcerting.
Cybercriminals active in India now have the potential to conduct their crimes, thanks to the 10-minute email service. Launched back in 2006, is generates near-untraceable emails, and has virally been gaining ground. There are now signs it is being used by cybercriminals as well. As Mr D'Costa quite rightly points out, the fact that email addresses get destroyed ten minutes after being set up, anyone can use the service to send all sorts of messages, including malicious ones.
It's not just cybercriminals that can abuse the service; people at work can 'grass' on their bosses anonymously, and scorned partners can make life difficult for their former significant others (and their new love interests).
The bottom line to this is that Internet users should remain suspicious of messages coming from 'new friends' on Hotmail, Google or Yahoo Mail. However, they should also be wary of messages coming from one of the reported multiple email address domains used by 10-minute email.
With other totally-anonymous email services popping up and targeting Internet cafe users, these addresses can also be abused by cybercriminals (and ex-partners or disgruntled employees on the warpath).
What these reports teach us is to be wary of URLs and attachments in emails from people you don't know. But even if they come from people you do know, it’s wise to be prudent. Especially if the sender is a former partner, and you didn’t part ways on the best of terms...
The Internet may be a lot more mature than it was a few years ago, but that doesn't mean it's safer. Where (many) people go, cybercriminals follow. Stay safe, and take care out there...
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