<p>Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara emphasised the state's commitment to building a "Cyber Command" that bridges the gap between law enforcement, academia, and industry. </p><p>He was speaking after inaugurating the third edition of Cybercrime Investigation Summit-2026 on Saturday organised by the Centre for Cybercrime Investigation Training & Research (ECODE).</p><p>He further said that cybercriminals with minimal formal education but high technical proficiency are driving a surge in digital fraud across Karnataka. </p><p>Speaking at the summit, Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (Cyber Command), revealed that many perpetrators behind sophisticated "pig butchering" and stock market scams are "Class 8 pass" individuals operating out of remote clusters.</p><p>"These individuals have a terrifyingly high grasp of technology. They may not have university degrees, but they have mastered how we behave around technology," Mohanty said during his keynote address, ‘Cybercrime – The Karnataka Experience.’</p>.Bescom plans command centre to ward off cyber attacks.<p><strong>‘Scam cities’ and digital slavery</strong></p><p>Mohanty highlighted the rise of organised "scam cities" in Southeast Asian border regions, where victims are often trafficked and held in "digital slavery."</p><p>"Their passports are seized, and they are forced to operate these scams 24/7. It’s an industry with gyms, spas, and halls, but the people inside are essentially slaves," he said. He estimated that global cybercrime damages could reach $12 trillion by the end of 2026, a figure nearly half the size of the US economy.</p><p><strong>The AI challenge</strong></p><p>The DGP expressed concern over the rapid evolution of Generative AI and Deepfakes, noting that detection tools often struggle to keep pace. </p><p>"Today you may detect a deepfake, but two months later, the manufacturer of that AI will have bypassed your detection. It is a constant game of cat and mouse," he added.</p><p>Other dignitaries present included Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar, Trustee of the Infosys Foundation, and Vinayak Godse, CEO of the Data Security Council of India.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara emphasised the state's commitment to building a "Cyber Command" that bridges the gap between law enforcement, academia, and industry. </p><p>He was speaking after inaugurating the third edition of Cybercrime Investigation Summit-2026 on Saturday organised by the Centre for Cybercrime Investigation Training & Research (ECODE).</p><p>He further said that cybercriminals with minimal formal education but high technical proficiency are driving a surge in digital fraud across Karnataka. </p><p>Speaking at the summit, Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police (Cyber Command), revealed that many perpetrators behind sophisticated "pig butchering" and stock market scams are "Class 8 pass" individuals operating out of remote clusters.</p><p>"These individuals have a terrifyingly high grasp of technology. They may not have university degrees, but they have mastered how we behave around technology," Mohanty said during his keynote address, ‘Cybercrime – The Karnataka Experience.’</p>.Bescom plans command centre to ward off cyber attacks.<p><strong>‘Scam cities’ and digital slavery</strong></p><p>Mohanty highlighted the rise of organised "scam cities" in Southeast Asian border regions, where victims are often trafficked and held in "digital slavery."</p><p>"Their passports are seized, and they are forced to operate these scams 24/7. It’s an industry with gyms, spas, and halls, but the people inside are essentially slaves," he said. He estimated that global cybercrime damages could reach $12 trillion by the end of 2026, a figure nearly half the size of the US economy.</p><p><strong>The AI challenge</strong></p><p>The DGP expressed concern over the rapid evolution of Generative AI and Deepfakes, noting that detection tools often struggle to keep pace. </p><p>"Today you may detect a deepfake, but two months later, the manufacturer of that AI will have bypassed your detection. It is a constant game of cat and mouse," he added.</p><p>Other dignitaries present included Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar, Trustee of the Infosys Foundation, and Vinayak Godse, CEO of the Data Security Council of India.</p>