An IKIKATA (way of life) approach to cyber hygiene

Japanese people for any minutest symptom of cold and flu wear masks to avoid its spread. This practice was adopted by the whole world only after the pandemic. Similarly, for any cyber incident, being on a watch out for early warning indicators followed by immediate action is of utmost importance. To protect from any kind of cyber-fraud, there is a need to mask/secure our identity. One should avoid revealing their identity, personal details, location, whereabouts, vacation plans, family member details etc., to other known/unknown people online. Rule of thumb when sharing information online — do not share information.

Did you know that the Government of India has a cybercrime reporting helpline- 1930? One can also get in touch with cybersecurity cells / cyber police in their local area. The golden hour rule of the medical domain (getting help in the first hour of any accident/medical emergency increases survival probability by a lot) is also valid and applicable for any cybersecurity fraud. Hence, reaching out to authorities as soon as possible increase the chances of identifying culprits and reducing losses. 

Companies must ensure that in case of any cyber-attack 

• Notify relevant authorities at the earliest
• Improve InfoSec and Cyber defense capabilities by implementing preventive, detective security controls and processes

Like IKIKATA, making prevention a habit goes a long way in preventing cybercrime. Therefore, the cyber-culture and cybersecurity best practices adoption should happen by design and default.

Traditionally, Japanese people ate meals sitting on ‘tatami mats’ instead of chairs, and they rolled out the ‘futon’ to sleep on ‘tatami floors’. It is not acceptable in their culture to bring shoes (and dirt with it) into the house, which would result in an unclean/unhygienic floor/house. Similarly, an essential component of cyber awareness is about taking precaution while entering the online space. 

Cyber awareness and response must be different based on the situation and surroundings. Individuals/ citizens should be more cautious and avoid using free Wi-Fi, connecting to insecure networks, or accessing sensitive data from cyber cafes, as these actions may result in the compromise of sensitive or personal data. Children should be given a different level of awareness than senior citizens for them to understand the risk and avoid such incidents. Many cases of fake applications masquerading as original applications were used as attack vectors by hackers, while children used video conferencing applications like Zoom and Teams for online education. Hackers targeted senior citizens by using messages with links to online payments or by blackmailing for money to unlock applications/ bank accounts. Organizations must employ different cybersecurity combating techniques to protect their systems, applications, and information. 

Not just awareness, but advocacy plays a significant role in culture enablement. Similarly, individuals and corporates may not be able to win this cyber battle alone. Hence, commencing cybersecurity advocacy is the need of the hour.

Cybersecurity is much more than an information technology topic. Making cybersecurity hygiene a habit and sticking to it requires routine and repetition i.e., consistency. An organization's overall security posture could be improved by adopting consistent and effective cyber hygiene practices. Corporates must invest in cyber hygiene because the return on investment is enormous, and it helps mitigate serious cyber risks and build digital trust. The consequences of a data breach may include financial loss, government fines, operational downtime, organizational upheaval, damage to the organization's reputation, and legal liability.