Daily Times

Sir: Technology is playing an important role in our life today. A couple of decades ago, all countries and people had been in euphoria over the Y2K (the year 2000), then believed to cause problems to computer programs with respect to the year format as two-digit value. Incidentally and interestingly, I had completed my postgraduate degree in MCA (Master of Computer Application) almost at the time of the Y2K.

Right now there have been reports of cyber-attacks taking place across the world. Ransomware, a kind of malware, has reportedly attacked computer programmes across 74 countries, demanding ransom money in return for restoring the access to their hacked computer programs.

At this point, everything has been encoded in computer programming language. For example, the entire IT (Information Technology) industry across the world has been built on computing. Apart from this, almost the business activities and education hubs depend on information technology outputs. Then just imagine the kind or magnitude of such cyber-attacks! In this context, it is also important to make cutting-edge technology a part of the education curricula so that the youths today (especially the students) will take on the future challenges of the IT field.

I always encourage my students located in Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Marthandam, Palayamkottai, Kaliyakkavilai, Tiruchendur and Kanyakumari, all in India’s Tamil Nadustate, to show interest in learning the latest technology. So cyber-attacks should also be studied, observed, prepared for much in advance, and tackled accordingly.

Right now it is the responsibility of the countries facing cyber-attacks to think and work in tandem in order to tackle the latest threats to the IT field — the sooner the better. Finally, ramifications related to cyber-attacks and malware can be greatly averted, to the advantage of all those who rely on computer programmes.

P Senthil Saravana Durai

Mumbai, India