Lok Sabha Question No. 2445 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-02
Subject: Cyber Security
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAMESH BIDHURI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2445

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 02 ND  JANUARY, 2018/ PAUSHA 12, 1939 (SAKA)

CYBER SECURITY

†2445. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  country  is  lagging  behind  in  capacity  building  in  cyber security sector and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  formulate  any  new  scheme  to strengthen the cyber security system of the country and if so, the details of schemes implemented in this regard during last few years;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  agreement  with  other institutes  to  strengthen  the  cyber  security  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has signed MoUs with other countries to solve the problem;
- (e) whether the Government has issued any guidelines for the institutions doing online payments; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a): National Cyber  Security Policy (2013), inter-alia, aims  to build capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats. Ministry of Electronics and   Information   Technology  is  implementing  the  Information  Security

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2445 FOR 02.01.207

Education  and  Awareness  (ISEA)  Programme  for  capacity  building  in  the areas  of  cyber  security,  training  and  skill  development.  Stakeholder Ministries/Departments  are  also  working  on  capacity  building  in  cyber security.

(b) & (c): Government  has taken a number  of legal, technical and administrative policy measures for addressing cyber security. This includes National Cyber Security policy (2013), enactment of Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and setting up of Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) under the IT Act, 2000. Some specific measures taken by Government to strengthen cyber security system in the country during last few years are as under:

- (i) National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under National Security Council  Secretariat(NSCS)  coordinates  with  different  agencies  at  the national level for cyber security matters.
- (ii) Government has established National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) as per the provisions of Section 70A of the IT Act, 2000 for protection of Critical Information Infrastructure in the country.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2445 FOR 02.01.207

- (iii) Government has initiated setting up of National Cyber Coordination Centre  (NCCC)  to  generate  necessary  situational  awareness  of  existing and potential cyber security threats and enable timely information sharing for proactive, preventive and protective actions by individual entities.
- (iv) Industry associations such as Data Security Council of India (DSCI), NASSCOM, Cyber Forensic Labs set up in  certain  States,  have  taken  up tasks  of  awareness  creation  and  training  programmes  on  Cyber  Crime investigation. Academia like National Law School, Bangalore and NALSAR University  of  Law,  Hyderabad  are  also  engaged  in  conducting  several awareness and training programmes on Cyber Laws and Cyber Crimes for judicial officers.
- (v) Government  has  formulated  Cyber Crisis  Management  Plan  for countering cyber attacks for implementation by all Ministries/ Departments of  Central  Government,  State  Governments  and  their  organizations  and critical sectors.

(vi) Government  has  launched  the  Cyber  Swachhta  Kendra  (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre).

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2445 FOR 02.01.207

(d): Government  has  signed  agreement  on  bilateral  cyber  cooperation with the USA, Russia, Germany, etc. with emphasis on capacity building, cooperation  in  the  area  of  cyber  security.  Further,  Indian  Computer Emergency  Response  Team  (CERT-In)  has  entered  into  Memorandum  of Understanding (MoU) with 11 of its overseas counterpart agencies/Computer  Emergency  Response  Teams  (CERTs)  for  information exchange and collaboration for cyber security incident response.

(e) & (f): Indian  Computer  Emergency  Response  Team  (CERT-In)  issues alerts  and  advisories  regarding  latest  cyber  threats/vulnerabilities  along with  countermeasures  to  create  awareness  among  stakeholders  to  take appropriate measures to ensure safe usage of digital technologies. CERTIn  has issued 27 advisories regarding secured digital payments for users and  institutions.  In  addition,  Reserve  Bank  of  India  (RBI)  has  issued comprehensive  guidelines  on  Cyber  Security  Framework  in  Banks  and advisories  to  all  Prepaid  Payment  Instrument  Issuers,  System  Providers, System Participants regarding Security and Risk Mitigation measures.

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