Anirban Dutta from Symbiosis School of International Studies Writes: India’s digital economy is booming. As per the latest report by McKinsey Global Institute, India is one of the fastest developers amongst the seventeen countries. The key facet of the current national security of India is to synergize (Cyber insurance, protection of the infrastructure of the internet facilities); secure (which involves the security of the supply chain, the protection of India’s security in digital mode of payment); strengthen (a proper allocation of the budget, capability and building the skill).
Creation of a Cyber-Command: The need of the hour is to establish a Cyber-Command after upgrading India’s current Defense Cyber Agency. This can help to withstand any attacks that may interrupt the integrity of India. This requires policy coherence from the government. The Indian Freedom Foundation has pointed this, under its first recommendation to the government. There is a requirement of an operating procedure for the specialists of India’s burgeoning cyber security specialists. Also, there must be an emphasis on Cyber Crisis Management Plan (CCMP) whose aim will be to protect the critical infrastructure and recovery from cyber-attacks.
Protection of Critical Infrastructure: There has been a substantial focus by the Government of India on the model adopted by the United States in 2013. However, India needs to focus on the approaches followed by the United States, they have created a sector-specific strategy to withstand attacks against any critical infrastructure like the chemical sector, communications sector to nuclear reactor sectors that are vital to the U.S.
Creation of an Indigenous Technology: The vulnerabilities exist in foreign software and hardware system. The need of the hour is to create indigenous and critical infrastructure in software and operating systems, microelectronics and the navigation systems of the country.
Growth of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security: In this section, a whole new policy on encryption is needed, to develop the necessary cyber infrastructure for a digital economy. There must be a focus on the evasion performed by the AI where the criminal outfits can overwhelm the conventional security measures through AI-assisted evasions. The creation of ‘deep fakes’ where the image, audio can be cleverly manipulated to resemble another human being.
Standards at the International level: The Budapest Convention on Cyber Crime has searched solutions for many governments through the creation of a cloud evidence group. Other international agreements like Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act can aid the law enforcement agencies to access the stored data. It is important that the IT governance in India must stand at par with the standards held by these internationally agreed standards.
Conclusion: India’s internet landscape is occupied with first time users who can become the victim of frequent attacks like the government agencies. Such a situation calls for a faster response mechanism to overcome any hurdles. Any useful changes will create a qualified cyber force.
References
- “A Cyber Secure India, Starts with Securing Indians.” Internet Freedom Foundation, 13 Jan. 2020, internetfreedom.in/a-cyber-secure-india-starts-with-securing-indians/. Accessed 16 June 2021.
- “DSCI Submission in January 2020, for the National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 | Data Security Council of India.” dsci.in, 2020, www.dsci.in/content/dsci-submission-national-cyber-security-strategy-2020#:~:text=This%20submission%20provides%20detailed%20coverage.
- INDIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY M a R c H 2 0 1 9. , Mar. 2019.
- Mallick, PK. “Cyber Security in India – Present Status.” vifindia.org, 30 Oct. 2017, www.vifindia.org/issuebrief/2017/octobe/30/cyber-security-in-india-present-status.