Lok Sabha Question No. 3014 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-16
Subject: CERT-In
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3014

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 16.03.2016

## CERT-In

## 3014.  SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA :

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Computer Emergency Response Team(CERT-In) has signed cooperation pacts with its counterparts in Malaysia, Singapore and Japan for cyber security, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the CERT-In is the nodal agency responsible for dealing with cyber security threats;
- (c) if  so,  whether  the  Memorandum  of  Understanding  will  promote  closer  cooperation  for exchange of knowledge and experience in detection, resolution and prevention of securityrelated incidents between India and the three countries; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the work done so far in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a):    Yes, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the area of Cyber Security with its counterpart agencies in  Malaysia,  Singapore  and  Japan.  CERT-In  signed  MoU  with  CyberSecurity  Malaysia  on November  23,  2015,  with  Singapore  Computer  Emergency  Response  Team  (SingCERT)  on November 24, 2015 and renewed MoU with Japan Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (JPCERT/CC) on December 7, 2015.
- (b):  The Information Technology Act, 2000 designated CERT-In to serve as the national agency to perform the following functions in the area of cyber security:
-  Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber incidents
-  Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents
-  Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents
-  Coordination of cyber incident response activities
-  Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes and whitepapers relating to information security practices, procedures, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents
-  Such other functions relating to cyber security as may be prescribed

(c)  and  (d):  In  view  of  the  need  for  international  relationships  and  cooperation  issues,  the Government  has  made  concerted  efforts  to  determine  the  ways  and  means  of  expanding  the international  collaboration  as  well  as  exploring  the  possibility  of  commonality  of  approach between nations. This aspect of cooperation is being dealt with by way of security cooperation arrangements in the form of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and its counterpart agencies  that  are  willing  to  work  together  and share  information  in  a  timely  manner  for  preventing  cyber  attacks  as  well  as  collaborating  for providing swift response to the incidents.

The  scope  of  co-operation  between  India  and  other  countries  includes  the  following  areas relating to Cyber Security:

-  Exchange  of  Information  on  Cyber  Attacks  and  mutual  response  to  Cyber  Security Incidents
-  Cyber Security Technology cooperation
-  Exchange of Information on prevalent cyber security policies and best practices
-  Human Resource Exchange
-  Establishment of Broader Framework for Future dialogue

In the cyber domain, in view of the MoU and existing mechanisms of cooperation between India and  Japan,  both  countries  have  collaborated  to  deepen  the  contacts  for  effective  engagement, better  communication  and  coordination,  capacity  building,  information  sharing  and  strategic cooperation in international matters on issues of mutual interest.

Following  the  recent  MoU  with  CyberSecurity  Malaysia  and  SingCERT,      CERT-In  has established Point of Contacts (PoCs) with both counterparts to enable better communication and coordination  for  the  purpose  of  information  sharing,  incident  resolution  and  any  other  issues related to cyber security.

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