Establishing identity of cyber criminals remains a key challenge, says Union Home Secretary

While inaugurating c0c0n 2025, the annual cyber security conference of Kerala Police, Union Home Minister Govind Mohan on Friday said that indigenous solutions are the need of the hour to combat the increasing incidents of cyber crime.

Mr. Mohan called for indigenous solutions, highlighting not only the rise in cybercrime but also cyber-dependent crimes such as hacking malware and denial of online services.

Addressing a meeting of senior police officers, technicians and delegates from different parts of the world, Mr. Mohan emphasized that the main reason behind solving such cases is the difficulty of identifying cyber criminals.

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“A cybercriminal finds it very easy to hide his identity and relies on three main tools to do this,” the Home Secretary said. The three tools he mentions are virtual private networks (VPN), conversion of proceeds from cyber financial scams into cryptocurrency, and the dark web.

“VPNs have become an important tool for criminals of all kinds, from narcotics to sex offenders, from sex traffickers to terrorists,” he said. “Though the challenges are serious, our response is equally swift and equally effective. We will not allow cyber crimes to affect the security of this country. We are determined to defend the public against such crimes. State governments and the Central government are united in this,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar said that cyber security is no longer a technical issue but a matter of public security and national sovereignty.

“Today, digital infrastructure is no longer at the periphery of government. All forms of public services, including financial transactions, service delivery and emergency response, are being digitized. While this transformation is necessary, it also exponentially increases our threats and vulnerability. Cyber ​​attacks are no longer random or isolated,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said. “We have taken a multi-pronged and proactive approach to deal with crises in Kerala,” he added.

The meeting was chaired by MP Hibi Eden. Manoj Abraham, Director General of Police and Director of Vigilance; S. Sreejith, Additional Director General of Police; P. Prakash, Inspector General of Police; Putta Vimaladitya, District Police Chief (Kochi City); The opening session was attended by Police, Cyber ​​Operations Manager Ankit Asokan and representatives from Childlight, a global child safety institute.