23 May 2024 : PIB Summary for UPSC

● The exercise, conducted by the Defence Cyber Agency, emphasizes collaboration and integration among military and national agencies.

● Rapid Digitization: India’s rapid digital transformation has expanded attack surfaces, providing more opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities.

● Sophisticated Attacks: Cybercriminals are employing increasingly sophisticated techniques, including ransomware, phishing, and zero-day exploits, to target individuals, organisations, and critical infrastructure.

● State-Sponsored Cyber Warfare: Nation-states and state-sponsored actors engage in cyber warfare to steal sensitive information, disrupt critical infrastructure, and undermine national security.

● Insufficient Cybersecurity Measures: Inadequate cybersecurity measures, including weak passwords, outdated software, and lack of cybersecurity awareness, make individuals and organisations vulnerable to cyber threats.

● Emergence of New Technologies: The proliferation of emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, and 5G introduces new attack vectors and challenges for cybersecurity.

Implications for National Security:

● Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability: Cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, including power grids, transportation systems, and financial institutions, pose significant threats to national security and public safety.

● Data Breaches: Data breaches compromise sensitive information, including government secrets, military intelligence, and personal data, undermining national security and sovereignty.

● Economic Impact: Cyber Attacks disrupt economic activities, damage businesses, and erode public trust, impacting India’s economic growth and stability.

● Strategic Threat: Cyber threats pose strategic challenges, including espionage, sabotage, and influence operations, which can undermine India’s geopolitical interests and security.

Way Forward:

● Enhanced Cybersecurity: Strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure, policies, and practices to mitigate cyber threats and protect critical assets.

● Investment in Technology: Invest in advanced cybersecurity technologies, threat intelligence, and cyber defence capabilities to detect, prevent, and respond to cyberattacks effectively.

● Public-Private Partnerships: Foster collaboration between government, industry, academia, and civil society to share threat information, best practices, and resources for collective cybersecurity defence.

● Cybersecurity Awareness: Promote cybersecurity awareness and education programs to empower individuals, businesses, and government agencies to adopt secure practices and behaviours.

● International Cooperation: Strengthen international cooperation and partnerships to combat cyber threats, including information sharing, capacity building, and law enforcement collaboration.

● Legal and Regulatory Framework: Develop and enforce robust cybersecurity laws, regulations, and standards to hold cybercriminals accountable and deter cyberattacks.

● Resilience Building: Build resilience against cyber threats by implementing incident response plans, conducting regular cybersecurity audits, and enhancing cyber resilience strategies.

● Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation: Implement continuous monitoring and adaptive cybersecurity strategies to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Steps Taken by the Indian government in this regard:

● National Cyber Security Policy: India launched the National Cyber Security Policy to enhance cybersecurity capabilities and protect critical infrastructure.

● CERT-In Establishment: The Indian government established the Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-In) to coordinate responses to cyber threats and incidents.

● Cyber Swachhta Kendra: Introduced the Cyber Swachhta Kendra initiative to provide free tools and services for cybersecurity to citizens and organisations.

● Cyber Coordination Centre: Established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to combat cybercrimes and strengthen cybersecurity measures.

● International Cooperation: Engaged in international partnerships and collaborations to address cyber threats through initiatives like the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC).

Q.1 What are the different elements of cyber security? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2022)

Q.2 Discuss different types of cyber crimes and measures required to be taken to fight the menace. (150 words/10m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2020)