Around 445 of 519 Devices Showed Security Gaps in Maharashtra Village, Cyber Initiative Launched

Arjuni has an estimated population of 1,406. A baseline survey covering 273 households identified 675 mobile users, including 539 smartphone users. A subsequent security check-up assessed 519 mobile devices across nine security parameters.

Of the households surveyed, 193 reported using the internet daily, while 155 said they used UPI regularly or occasionally. The initiative aims to make Arjuni India’s first cyber-safe village. In simple terms, about seven in 10 households surveyed use the internet every day, while around six in 10 use UPI regularly or occasionally.

On the device side, around nine in 10 of the 519 phones checked had at least one security issue, while about 8.5 in 10 had five or more security gaps. The assessment also found 623 harmful or suspicious apps. The household findings come from the 273-household baseline survey, while the security findings are based on the separate assessment of 519 mobile devices.

Cybersecurity Gaps Found Across Village Devices The Mobile & Digital Security Check-up Camp assessed 519 mobile devices across nine security parameters, finding that 445 had five or more security gaps. The assessment also found 327 devices with unnecessary app permissions, while 390 had two-factor authentication (2FA) disabled on social media accounts. Another 102 devices lacked basic phone-security measures.

The assessment also found that residents had limited awareness of the first three hours after a financial cyber fraud, which the Foundation describes as the “golden window” for reporting such incidents. The programme is therefore focusing on common risks such as OTP, PIN and password theft, UPI and QR-code fraud, fake KYC and customer-care scams, as well as social media and WhatsApp security. Residents are also being advised to contact the 1930 helpline immediately in cases of financial cybercrime.

Students Take Cybersecurity Awareness To Households The initiative is also using students from the Cyber Warrior Club at Devchand College, Arjuni, who are working with the Quick Heal Foundation to take cybersecurity awareness directly to households. The volunteers are conducting awareness sessions and helping residents improve app permissions, privacy settings, account security and device protection. A Village Cyber Safety Committee has also been set up under the Arjuni Gram Panchayat to help residents with complaints and coordinate local responses to cyber incidents.

The initiative is built around three areas, Prevention, Protection and Reporting, and combines awareness sessions, household outreach and hands-on security checks. Anupama Katkar, Chairperson of Quick Heal Foundation and Chief of Operational Excellence at Quick Heal Technologies, said the aim is to make cybersecurity part of everyday digital use rather than limiting it to awareness campaigns. The Cyber Shikshit Gaon programme was launched on October 6 under the Foundation’s Cyber Shiksha, Cyber Suraksha programme, it said.