Chess master Garry Kasporov in data protection warning

Chess master Garry Kasparov issued a stern warning about the need for vigilant cybersecurity as Russia used security systems developed in democratic countries to undermine democracy.

Speaking at the Web Summit on Wednesday, the director of the Human Rights Foundation who is currently the ambassador for Avast with a long experience with technology “some good, some bad” said: “People are starting to get worried about their personal details security, but then buy an Alexa, smartvs or smartwatches and then are at risk from remote cyberattacks.”

Kasparov who campaigns in field of human rights and the protection of democracy stressed that dictatorships, particularly Russia, with which he had “problems with in the past” and which “controls technology and social media in their own countries” were using that same technology developed in the free world to “undermine our democracies”.

The former chess champion said it made sense for him to link technology developed by Avast with Human Rights. “I have been witnessing the abuse of data with growing concern, both by big corporations and certain states”.

“It’s very important for people to recognise that while our lives have steadily been influenced by a flow of data, it is going to have to be somehow protected. When we hear about people complaining about the protection of their data and then buy face recognition apps you can see there is some kind of contradiction,” he said.

The former world chess champion and current ambassador for cybersecurity said “Our homes are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks through the electronic devices we buy.”

“These devices, such as smartphones or intelligent music speakers do not have very safe software.

“People are starting to get worried but then buy an Alexa, smartvs or smartwatches and then are at risk from remote cyberattacks” he warned.

Kasparov concluded that governments could play a fundamental role in regulating such products and should think of the security of their citizens.