Jalandhar December 23 (Jaswinder Singh Azad)- A Faculty Development Program (FDP) on the topic of ‘Cyber Hygiene’ was organized at Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar. The keynote speaker for the event was Associate Professor Dr. Roopali Sood, Head of the Postgraduate Department of Computer Science.
Principal Dr. Neerja Dhingra highlighted the significance of the topic, emphasizing that discussions on cyber hygiene are the need of the hour, as many people worldwide are falling victim to cyber crimes. She stated that it is crucial to educate children and the elderly about cyber crime to prevent them from becoming victims due to ignorance, curiosity, or haste, which can often lead to financial loss.
Dr. Roopali Sood elaborated on the importance of cyber hygiene, stating that the increasing use of various gadgets in our daily lives necessitates heightened vigilance. She explained common cyber threats, such as data breaches, digital arrest scams, trading and investment scams, romance and dating scams, and other forms of cyber fraud. These not only affect individuals but can also pose threats to state and national security.
Dr. Sood attributed ignorance, blind trust in strangers, and underestimating cyber risks
Dr. Sood attributed ignorance, blind trust in strangers, and underestimating cyber risks as the primary reasons for falling victim to such crimes. She shared practical tips to safeguard against cyber crimes, including avoiding fake messages, misleading news, fraudulent websites, OTP scams, e-wallet frauds, SIM swapping frauds, dangerous gaming challenges, and matrimonial frauds. She advised keeping personal and professional emails separate, updating passwords regularly with strong combinations, and installing antivirus software.
She also recommended immediate action in case of cyber crime incidents by utilizing the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre set up by the Government of India. She stressed the importance of never sharing sensitive information, avoiding public internet use, and keeping location services turned off on devices.
Dr. Neerja Dhingra praised the efforts of Dr. Anjana Kumari and Ms. Rajni Kumar, who coordinated the program, for its successful execution. She encouraged organizing similar Faculty Development Programs on relevant and critical topics in the future.