Lok Sabha Question No. 1338 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-18
Subject: Cyber Security
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1338

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2018/ AGRAHAYANA 27, 1940 (SAKA)

## CYBER SECURITY

1338.     SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether cyber security is lacking in the country;

(b) if so, the details of the steps being taken to strengthen cyber security in various States,including Andhra Pradesh;

(c) whether the Government is seeking foreign collaboration in this regard; and

(d) 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) & (b): No  Madam.  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  legislative, technical and institutional measures for addressing issues related to cyber security. These include National Cyber Security policy (2013), enactment of Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and setting up of Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Some specific measures taken by the Government of India to strengthen cyber security system in the country are as under:

## L.S.US.Q.NO.1338 FOR 18.12.2018

- (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) Information  Technology  Act,  2000  was  enacted  to  provide  legal recognition  forelectronic  communication,  electronic  commerce  andcyber crimes etc. IT Act has deterrent provisions to deal with cyber threats and cyber attacks.
- (iii) The  Indian  Computer  Emergency  Response  Team  (CERT-In)  issues alerts and advisories regarding latest cyber threats and countermeasures on regular basis.
- (iv) National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC)  has  been  established  for  protection  of  critical  information infrastructure in the country.
- (v) Cyber  security  exercises  are  being  conducted  regularly  to  enable assessment  of  preparedness  of  organizations  in  Government  and critical sectors.
- (vi) Guidelines  have  been  issued  for  Chief  Information  Security  Officers (CISOs)  regarding  their  key  roles  and  responsibilities  for  securing applications / infrastructure and compliance.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.1338 FOR 18.12.2018

- (vii) Cyber  Swachhta  Kendra  (Botnet  Cleaning  and  Malware  Analysis Centre) has been launched for detection of malicious programs and provide free tools to remove the same.
- (viii) National  Cyber  Coordination  Centre  (NCCC)  has  set  upto  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.
- (ix) All the new government websites and applications are audited prior to their hosting and on regular basis after hosting.
- (x) CERT-In conducts regular training programmes for network / system administrators  and  Chief  Information  Security  Officers  (CISOs)  of Government and critical sector organisations regarding securing the IT infrastructure and mitigating cyber attacks.
- (xi) Under  Cyber  Crime  Prevention  for  Women  and  Children  (CCPWC) Scheme,  Government  of  India  has  released  grants  to  States/UTs including  Andhra  Pradesh  for  setting  up  of  a  Cyber  Forensic  cum Training Laboratory and organizing capacity building programme on cyber awareness and cyber crime investigation. Rs. 4.42   Crore has been released to Andhra Pradesh for the purpose.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.1338 FOR 18.12.2018

- (xii) A Division has been established under the Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with Cyber and Information Security.

(c) & (d): The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has entered  into  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  with  its  overseas counterpart  agencies/Computer  Emergency  Response  Teams  (CERTs)  for information exchange and collaboration for cyber security incident response.

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