Lok Sabha Question No. 2657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-09
Subject: Ranking in Cyber Crimes
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Pritam Gopinath Munde, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Shrikant Eknath Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2657

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 09 TH  JULY, 2019/ ASHADHA 18, 1941 (SAKA)

## RANKING IN CYBER CRIMES

2657.

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  India  is  ranked  third  after  US  and  China  in  terms  of  cyber crime incidents;

(b) whether citizens have started relying more on digital transactions and corresponding features have  shown  an  increase  in cyber attacks;

(c)  whether  the  Union  Government  does  not  have  adequate  in  house capability/ expertise or inherent strength to deal with cyber crime/cyber attacks and if so, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether internet providing companies are not having their servers in India and if so, the steps taken by the Union Government in this regard;

(e)  whether  cyber  crimes  can  be  regulated  if  the  servers  of  internet providing companies are installed in India; and

(f)  if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government to control the cyber crimes in the country and the success achieved so far?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

Any formal rankings about country-wise cyber crime incidents is not

(a): available.

(b) & (c): Use  of  digital  transactions  is  on  the  rise  globally,  including India.  Continuous efforts are made to secure data and protect systems and  networks  by  deploying  appropriate  security  controls  and  prevent cyber attacks.

Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  prevent  and  mitigate  cyber security incidents.  These include:

- (i) Establishment of National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) for protection of critical information infrastructure in the country.
- (ii)  All  organizations  providing  digital  services  have  been  mandated  to report cyber security incidents to CERT-In expeditiously.
- (iii)  Cyber  Swachhta  Kendra  (Botnet  Cleaning  and  Malware  Analysis Centre) has been launched for providing detection of malicious programmes and free tools to remove such programmes.
- (iv)  Issue  of  alerts  and  advisories  regarding  cyber  threats  and  countermeasures by CERT-In.
- (v)  Issue  of  guidelines  for  Chief  Information  Security  Officers  (CISOs) regarding their key roles and responsibilities for securing applications / infrastructure and compliance.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2657 FOR 09.07.2019

(vi) Provision for audit of the government websites and applications prior to their hosting, and thereafter at regular intervals.

(vii) Empanelment of security auditing organisations to support and audit implementation of Information Security Best Practices.

(viii) Formulation of Crisis Management Plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism.

(ix)  Conducting  cyber  security  mock  drills  and  exercises  regularly  to enable  assessment  of  cyber  security  posture  and  preparedness  of organizations in Government and critical sectors.

(x) Conducting 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.

(d): The internet service providing companies are governed by Licence Framework of Department of Telecommunications. The licencing conditions inter-alia  may  include  setting  up  nodes  i.e.,  Routers/  servers within the geographical limits of the service area for which the licence is obtained.

(e) & (f): Cyber  crime  can  be  committed  even  if  servers  of  internet service  providers  are  installed  in India.  However, legal provisions exist

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2657 FOR 09.07.2019

under the Information Technology Act, 2000 for detection, investigation and prosecution of cyber crimes.

'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  as  per  the  Constitution  of India.  States/UTs  are  primarily  responsible  for  prevention,  detection, investigation  and  prosecution  of  crimes  through  their  law  enforcement machinery.  The  Law  Enforcement  Agencies  take  legal  action  as  per provisions  of  law  against  the  cyber  crime  offenders.  However,  Central Government has taken steps to spread awareness about cyber crimes, issue  of  alerts/advisories,  capacity  building/training  of  law  enforcement personnel/ prosecutors/ judicial officers, improving cyber forensics facilities etc. to prevent such crimes and to speed up investigation. The Government has launched the online cybercrime reporting portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in  to  enable  complainants  to  report  complaints pertaining  to  Child  Pornography/Child  Sexual  Abuse  Material,  rape/gang rape imageries or sexually explicit content. The Central Government has rolled out a scheme for establishment of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to handle issues related to cybercrime in the country in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

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