MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. India has implemented several strategies to improve its ability to counteract cyberattacks. Because cyber threats are constantly evolving, strategies, policies, and capabilities must also be continuously improved. Analyse.
GS III – Science and Technology
Introduction:
- Cyberwarfare refers to computer-based conflict in which a nation-state targets another nation-state for political reasons. Nation-state actors try to thwart the operations of groups or nation-states in these kinds of attacks, particularly for military or strategic objectives as well as cyberespionage.
- After a cyberattack on a few computers at the national capital’s AIIMS, researchers discovered that two emails’ IP addresses—which they deciphered from the headers of files the hackers had encrypted—came from China and Hong Kong.
- It entails the employment of computer viruses or denial-of-service assaults, among other tactics, by a nation-state or international organisation in an effort to compromise and compromise the computers or information networks of another country.
Issues confronting India and its readiness:
- Attacks may be more direct, harming digital or physical infrastructure.
- This covers the electrical and water grids of a nation.
- Cyber occurrences that could be concerning include espionage and leaks, political meddling, and compromises of vital national infrastructure.
- India ranked fourth in the world for internet security breaches, accounting for more than 5% of all threat detections worldwide, according to a 2017 Symantec research.
- The recently released Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app apparently encountered spam threats at the beginning of 2017.
- Targeted cyberattacks by hostile nation states pose the true threat to India.
- Nations such as China with vast resources at their disposal for executing advanced cyber-attacks.
- One example is the effectiveness of Stuxnet, which caused damage to the Iranian centrifuge plant in Natanz.
Lack of clarity is a hallmark of cyberwarfare:
- India is never sure what the other side is capable of or how likely it is that we will be successful in launching a cyber counterattack.
- A cashless system is being promoted together with demonetization, which is pushing for further reliance on digital technology.
- Things will advance further with the help of Aadhaar and broader initiatives like Digital India and Smart Cities.
- With over 350 million users online and millions more expected to sign up in the coming years, India is currently the second most digitally advanced country in the world.
- India is not even a signatory to some of the fundamental international frameworks on cybersecurity, such as the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime, to which not just European countries but also the US, South Africa, Japan, and other countries have signed.
- Indian legislation does not keep up with the rapidly evolving global cyberspace.
- Since the rules are outdated, they must be more flexible in order to address problems like data theft and cyberespionage.
- The only law pertaining to cyberspace in India is the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act 2000), which was passed far back in 2000.
- The Indian Cyber Law has undergone several revisions, but they haven’t kept up with the shifting circumstances, escalating dangers, or evolving forms of cyberwarfare.
Actions required:
- The establishment of a Defence Cyber Agency may be the initial measure taken by the government to address the growing vulnerability of military networks and key infrastructure that rely more and more on the Internet.
- The National Cyber Security Advisor and the Defence Cyber Agency will collaborate.
- The new Defence Cyber Agency is expected to be both offensively and defensively capable.
- Internet propaganda is also very essential. China engaged in sophisticated psy-ops and did its utmost to unleash cyberpropaganda on India during the Doklam dispute.
- The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) was established as a positive first step towards protecting critical cyber infrastructure.
- It is imperative that private enterprises and individual ministries establish protocols for truthfully reporting any violations.
- Only then will the NCIIPC be able to offer these networks the necessary security tools.
- This collaboration needs to be open and free from the customary secrecy of intelligence agencies.
- It is imperative that the Defence Cyber Agency be upgraded to a Cyber Command as soon as possible.
- To protect India from actions by state and non-state actors, a strong ecosystem must be established, including procedures for resolving grievances in international fora.
- It is necessary to develop better capabilities to recognise and stop attacks.
- It is imperative to enhance and harmonise the computer emergency response team (CERT) with military and foreign affairs activities.
- It will be essential to establish a collaborative task force with major technological companies and the government.
- The establishment of a global charter of digital human rights ought to be prioritised by the government.
- It is necessary to establish a national gold standard to guarantee that Indian software and hardware manufacturers follow the strictest safety regulations.
- Provide the various law enforcement authorities with technological know-how and training in cybercrime investigation.
- Spreading cyber awareness and implementing a multi-stakeholder approach are necessary; combating transborder crime requires extensive international collaboration in addition to technology and legal inputs as well as system enhancement and law enforcement support.
- It makes sense that financial and commercial organisations would be the target of cyberattacks. With cutting edge, tech-driven initiatives like AADHAAR, MyGov, GeM, and Digital Locker, the new India is a technologically advanced and transformative nation. Cybersecurity must be prioritised in both the public and private sectors’ security and risk management plans.
