Relentless Cyberattacks: G20 Summit Site Battled 16 Lakh Attempts Per Minute, Reveals Center

The G20 Summit faced an unprecedented cyber onslaught with 16 lakh cyberattacks per minute, thwarted by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). Rajesh Kumar revealed the attacks, originating from VPNs in China, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Over 31 lakh cybercrime complaints are registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, with I4C preventing ₹1,100 crore in fraud.

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In a staggering revelation, the G20 Summit website encountered relentless cyberattacks last year, with an alarming 16 lakh attempts detected per minute, as disclosed by Rajesh Kumar, CEO of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). At the annual conference, Kumar emphasized the collaborative efforts of Indian agencies in successfully thwarting these attacks, ensuring the security of the G20 portal during the summit.

Established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, I4C plays a crucial role in creating a comprehensive framework for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to combat cybercrime effectively. Kumar acknowledged the challenges posed by non-national foreign threat actors operating through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), with suspected origins in China, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The elusive nature of VPN networks makes it difficult to pinpoint the hackers' exact location.

Cyber experts underscored the frequent use of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks by non-national actors to disrupt websites, potentially originating from foreign countries. Despite the challenges, Kumar highlighted the successful collaboration of I4C and other agencies in safeguarding the G20 portal.

Kumar shared alarming statistics at the conference, revealing that over 31 lakh cybercrime complaints have been officially registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal since its launch in August 2019. Law Enforcement Agencies from various states and union territories have filed more than 66,000 First Information Reports (FIRs) based on these complaints, reflecting the magnitude of the cyber threat.

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Additionally, Kumar highlighted the I4C's comprehensive analytical report detailing the modus operandi of the top 50 cyberattacks observed in 2023. The National Cyber Helpline Number 1930 played a pivotal role, assisting concerned agencies in saving over ₹1,100 crore in defrauded money over three years, benefiting 4.3 lakh victims.

The G20 summit in 2023, hosted at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre, marked the group's eighteenth gathering. The summit concluded with the adoption of the G20 Leaders' Declaration, emphasizing their commitment to discuss priorities during ministerial and working group meetings throughout the year.