The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) Initiates Awareness Campaign as Part of India’s Digital India Initiative to Address the Growing Incidence of Hacking and Malware Attacks
As part of Special Campaign 3.0, CERT-In under the Government of India’s Digital India initiative advises users to ensure the security of their digital devices, specifically by eliminating the presence of malicious bots. An SMS notification sent by the Indian government to numerous smartphone users conveys this message. This SMS is part of the “Cyber Swachhta Kendra” (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) awareness campaign, which operates under the Government of India’s Digital India initiative and aims to combat the increasing threat of malware attacks and scams.
The overarching goal of this awareness campaign is to create a secure cyberspace in India by identifying and addressing botnet infections, providing notifications, and facilitating cleaning processes. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) already offers a range of information and tools to assist users in fortifying the security of their systems and devices. To further enhance awareness and promote the adoption of these security measures, the government actively sends SMS notifications to users.
These SMS alerts, delivered in both Hindi and English across various telecom networks, caution users about the perils of malicious bots and recommend downloading a free bot removal tool from the official website, csk.gov.in. The official website offers an array of security tools, including the Free Bot Removal Tool, antivirus software, and smartphone safety toolkits for users of Windows, Android, and other devices.
What Are Bots: Bots, particularly bad bots, are software programs designed with malicious intent. They perform various harmful activities on the internet, including web scraping, data theft, malware distribution, cyberattacks, and fraudulent acts like hacking.
How Botnets Remove Bots: Botnets, which are networks of interconnected bots, play a crucial role in eliminating malicious bots. They do this by having a network of security bots collaborate to identify, track, and isolate malicious bots. When a security bot identifies a harmful bot, it takes action to block or neutralize it, effectively removing it from the network and preventing further harm or threats.
How Devices Get Infected by Bots: Devices can become infected by bots through various means, such as:
- Opening email attachments containing malware.
- Clicking on malicious links in emails, SMS messages, or on websites.
- Opening files from unverified sources.
- Connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
How to Check if Your Device Is Infected: To check for bot infections, users can:
- Run an antivirus scan.
- Be vigilant for unusual behavior, such as increased battery consumption or high data usage.
- Remove suspicious apps and browser extensions.
How to Remove Bots Using CERT-In’s Free Tools: To eliminate bots and malware with CERT-In’s tools, users can follow these steps:
- Visit the CSK website at www.csk.gov.in/.
- Navigate to the “Security Tools” section.
- Choose a bot removal tool from a preferred antivirus company.
- Click “Download” to acquire the tool.
- For Windows users, download a free bot removal tool, such as eScan Antivirus, K7 Security, or Quick Heal, from the provided options.
- Android users can visit the Google Play Store and download either the ‘eScan CERT-IN Bot Removal’ tool or ‘M-Kavach 2,’ developed by C-DAC Hyderabad.
- Once downloaded, run the app on the device, which will scan for and remove any malware infections found.”
