WannaCry again?

THE digital revolution has many rewards, but rolling cyber attacks show its flip side. In May, the WannaCry infection hobbled hundreds of thousands of computers in 150-plus countries, and this week another global cyber attack has wreaked havoc. Some security experts warn that this time the ransomware virus is actually a wiper in disguise, aiming at erasing data rather than extortion. Either way, the vulnerability of both businesses and critical national infrastructure has once again been worryingly exposed. India may be the worst affected country.

There’s no doubt that we are living in an era of new vulnerabilities. Terrorism has spread online.

Hacking elections now looks like a realisable possibility rather than just an outlandish conspiracy theory. And as the internet becomes all-embracing (hooking up cars, medical devices, TVs, manufacturing operations, power plants, etc), the task of outpacing ransomware, hacks and other cybercrime will grow more demanding.

One name for this transition is the fourth industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution dramatically improved conditions of both work and leisure, but not without big costs – the toll of global warming, for example, is still rising. Likewise today’s transition carries dangers. Perfect security is unattainable. But the right combination of national policies and international protocols, individual and corporate safeguards can minimise risks. The government of India needs to get much more serious about cyber defence, and so does India Inc. It is also important to underscore that the WannaCry attack was defeated by a British researcher’s kill switch. Individual heroes – interestingly including ethical hackers or bug hunters – continue to play a big role in the new digital story.