Lok Sabha Question No. 1084 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-08
Subject: Cyber Attack and Hacking
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, RAHUL KASWAN, RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKAR, KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, R. VANAROJA, SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI, DHARAM VIRA GANDHI, PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1084

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 08.02.2017

## CYBER ATTACK AND HACKING

## 1084.    SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: SHRI RAHUL KASWAN: SHRI RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKAR:  DR KIRIT P. SOLANKI:  SHRIMATI VANAROJA R.:  SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:  SHRI DHARAM VIRA:  SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state:-

- (a)    whether  the  instances  of  cyber  attack  and  hacking  of  Indian  websites  from  foreign  countries  have increased during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof, country-wise and the reasons therefor;
- (c)        whether  the  Government  has  taken  up  the  issue  of  hacking  of  Indian  websites  with  the  respective country under bilateral cooperation;
- (d)     if so, the details and the outcome thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)   whether the Government and the Government offices are equipped with standard information security measures to restrict unauthorized access to official information by the hackers and comply with IPv6 internet protocol system and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)      whether  the  Government  has  taken/will  be  taking  measures  to  regulate  social  media  to  restrict circulation of anti-social and anti-India information from terrorist outfits and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  and  (b): As per  the  information  reported  to  and  tracked  by  Indian  Computer  Emergency  Response Team (CERT-In) a total number of 28481, 32323, 27205 and 33147 websites were hacked during the year 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. With the increase in the proliferation of Information Technology and mobile applications and related services, there is rise in the incidents of cyber attacks in the past years. Similar trend is observed worldwide also. The hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in the hardware and software  associated  with  web  applications.        It  has  been  observed  attacks  are  launched  through compromised  computer  systems  located  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  Masquerading  techniques  and hidden servers are also used to hide the identity of the actual systems being used by malicious actors. The attacks  are  observed  to  be  originating  from  various  countries  including  China,  Germany,  Hong  Kong, Japan,  Malaysia,  Pakistan,  Romania,  United  Kingdom,  United  States  of  America,  Syria,  United  Arab Emirates  and Italy. Affected organisations are notified with remedial measures to mitigate vulnerabilities and secure their respective websites..

(c) and (d): Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  have been signed between CERT-In and Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in other countries for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the area of cyber security for effective resolution of cyber security incidents and mitigation of cyber attacks. CERT-In coordinates  with  its  counterpart  agencies  in  respective  countries  for  mitigation  of  incidents  involving systems outside the country.

- (e) In  order  to  prevent  unauthorised  access  and  secure  Information  Technology  infrastructure,  the following measures have been  taken:
- i. National  Informatics  Centre  (NIC)  which  provides  Information  Technology  related  services  to Government Departments, publishes cyber security policies, procedures, guidelines and advisories in the security portal for its users.
- ii. CERT-In publishes guidelines regularly for securing the websites, computer systems and applications, which are available on its website (www.cert-in.org.in).
- iii. Government (MeitY) has formulated Cyber Crisis  Management  Plan  (CCMP)  for  countering  cyber attacks and cyber terrorism for implementation by all Ministries/ Departments of Central Government, State Governments and their organizations and critical sectors. 42 workshops have been conducted for Ministries/Departments, States & Union Territories and critical organizations to sensitise them about the  cyber  security  threat  landscape  and  enabling  them  to  prepare  and  implement  the  Cyber  Crisis Management Plan.
- iv. NIC protects the cyber resources from possible compromises through a layered security approach in the form of practices, procedures and technologies that are put in place. NIC has deployed state-of-theart security solutions including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, anti-virus solution. Additionally, periodic security audits of resources are performed followed by subsequent hardenings. These are complemented by round-the-clock monitoring of security events and remedial measures are carried  out  for  solving  the  problems  subsequently.  Networking  equipments  installed  in  Government Buildings by NIC/ or under guidance of NIC comply with IPv6.
- v. National  Critical  Information  Infrastructure  Protection  Centre  (NCIIPC)  is  also  engaged  with  Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) of various Government offices (Central & States) and sending alerts and advisories for the protection of critical information infrastructure periodically.
- vi. Government  (MeitY)  is  also  supporting  a  project  titled  'IPv6  Training  Programme  for  Staff  of Government/ Ministries & Institution' to enhance adoption and deployment of IPv6 and the project is being implemented by ERNET India. Under this project, ERNET India has setup an Infrastructure in line  with  the  one  hosted  by  APNIC  at  3  locations  i.e  Delhi,  Chennai  and  Bangalore.  These infrastructures  are  available  over  the  Internet  and  hands-on  training  and  live  experience  have  been provided to about 500 network related participants from Government sector at various cities i.e. Delhi, Chennai, Chandigarh, Puducherry, Bhopal and Kolkata.
- vii. Department  of  Telecom  (DoT)  has  mandated  that  the  licensee  (including  BSNL  &  MTNL)   shall induct  only  those  network  elements  into  their  telecom  network,  which  have  been  got  tested  as  per relevant  contemporary  Indian  or  international  security  standards  which  also  include  information security management system against ISO 27000 series standards. Moreover, DoT has also advised its sub-ordinate  departments/organizations  to  adhere  with  policy  guidelines  on  cyber  security  i.e. 'National Information Security Policy and Guidelines' and 'Cyber Security Policy'. DoT has asked the Central Government Ministries/Departments, State and Union Territories government for transition to IPv6  in  accordance  with  'National  IPv6  Deployment  Roadmap  v-II'  guidelines.  The  Government organizations  have  been  asked  to  align  and  integrate  the  IPv6  transition  of  their  networks  with  the product/technology life  cycles  to  reduce  the  capital  expenditure  and  do  the  transition  by  December 2017.  DoT  has  issued  guidelines  to  Government  organizations  that  all  new  ICT  equipment  to  be procured should be IPv6 ready.

(f): The  Social Media is being made use of by the citizens across world through Internet. Government does not regulate the content appearing on social networking sites.  However, at times these services are also used by anti-national/anti-social elements, which pose a security threat. The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 has provisions for removal of objectionable online content. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011 under section 79 of the IT Act requires that the Intermediaries shall observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to  host,  display,  upload,  modify,  publish,  transmit,  update  or  share  any  information  that  is  harmful, objectionable, affect minors and unlawful in any way.  Further, Government takes action under section 69A  of  IT  Act  for  blocking  of  websites/webpages  with  objectionable  contents,  whenever  requests  are received  from  designated  nodal  officers  or  upon  Court  orders.  Section  69A  of  the  IT  Act  empowers Government to block any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in the interest  of  i)  sovereignty  and  integrity  of  India,  ii)  defence  of  India,  iii)  security  of  the State,  iv)  friendly  relations  with  foreign  States  v)  public  order  or  vi)  for  preventing  incitement  to  the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above. The  Government  has  also  mandated  all  the  Telecom  Service  Providers  including  Internet  Service Providers  to  provide  the  Lawful  Interception  facilities  to  the  security  agencies  for  all  the  services including  WhatsApp,  Viber,  etc.  As  such  Security  agencies  are  able  to  intercept  these  encrypted communication  services  through  the  lawful  interception  facilities  provided  by  the  Telecom  Service Providers,   but  they  are  not  able  to  decrypt  some  of  encrypted  intercepted  communication  to  readable format.

*****