HYDERABAD: Cyber security experts and sleuths believe that the launch of 3G services in the city may see an increase in `virtual crime' rate. Awareness and training programmes on various aspects of cyber safety will be held by the CID for police, judiciary and corporates.

According to Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), there are over six million 3G subscribers in the country and within less than a month after big operators launched the service, in Hyderabad the figure has already reached 56,000.

With the advancement in technology, cyber crime rate has been doubling each year. In 2010, the Cyber Crime police station of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) has registered 54 cases. But, in the first three months of 2011, the CID has already registered 18 cases and combined with the newly launched Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerate police stations, the cyber crime cases registered this year is over 50 in the first three months alone.

Most of the cases booked by the Cyber Crime sleuths fall under three categories: hacking, data theft and obscenity. According to CID Additional SP U Ram Mohan, majority of the complaints include obscene mails, SMSes, Nigerian fraud, hacking and data theft.

Talking to TOI, Cyber security expert, Ankit Fadia said that due to the high speed internet with features like video calling, mobile TV available with 3G technology, the amount of time an individual spends using internet on the mobile phone will increase and so the vulnerability.

But unfortunately, mobile internet users are not yet aware of the risks. According to the CID additional SP, U Ram Mohan, a hacker can simply read all SMSes, mails, listen to audio and watch videos in your mobile by just sending an SMS.

Through a technique called `smishing' a hacker will send an SMS to the target, enticing him to click on a web link. Upon clicking the link, malware gets downloaded and settles in the mobile phone memory, enabling the hacker to read all the data stored in the phone.

Cyber crime police have been receiving several complaints from women about people blackmailing them using the intimate videos captured on web or cell phone cameras. Police are apprehensive that if an individual is not careful, video calling facility can also be misused in similar manner.

"To safeguard the data in the mobile internet environment, people should do away from downloading applets from unknown websites. Install authentic mobile phone antivirus and firewalls," Ankit Fadia said.

CID police advised people not to download any attachment from an unknown sender and not to click on any weblink from an unknown sender. An IMEI number is very important in terms of security aspect. One should try to keep it secret to an extent it is possible, said the additional SP.

Rising to the need of the hour, CID police have decided to train police officials of inspector and above rank, advocates, magistrates and the members of corporate sector on the trends in cyber crime and investigation techniques. The training programme will begin with a basic cyber crime lessons for city police and public prosecutors.