₹930 crore saved from being siphoned off in financial frauds

₹930 crore saved from being siphoned off in financial frauds

Subject: Schemes

Section: IT and computer

Context:₹930 crore saved from being siphoned off in financial frauds

More about the news:

• The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the timely action against over 3.80 lakh complaints through the ‘Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System’ saved ₹930 crore from being siphoned off in financial frauds.
• The system is part of the ‘Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)’ initiative. 
• Additionally, the MHA informed that more than 2.45 lakh SIM cards and 42,000 IMEIs reported by police from different states have been blocked by the Central government. The National Cyber Forensics Laboratory (Investigation), established under I4C, has provided services in around 8,840 cyber forensics cases.
• The MHA has also provided financial assistance of ₹122.24 crore under the ‘Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC)’ Scheme to states and union territories for capacity building.
• The public can report cyber offenses, particularly those against women and children, on the ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.‘
•  Seven Joint Cyber Coordination Teams (JCCTs) have been established under I4C to enhance coordination among law enforcement agencies.

What is Cyber crime

• It is unlawful acts wherein the computer is either a tool or a target or both.
• Cyber crimes can involve criminal activities that are traditional in nature, such as theft, fraud, forgery, defamation and mischief, all of which are subject to the Indian Penal Code.
• Cyber crimes are of two type:
  • Computer as a Target :-using a computer to attack other computers–e.g. Hacking,Virus/Worm attacks,DOS attack etc.
  • Computer as a weapon :-using a computer to commit real world crimes–e.g. Cyber Terrorism, IPR violations, Credit card frauds, EFT frauds, Pornography etc.

What are the Cyber crime control regime in India

• Information Technology Act 2000 is the main law connected with cyber security in India.
• Section 65 – Tampering with computer Source Document
• Section 66 – Using password of another person
• Section 66D – Cheating Using computer resource
• Section 66E – Publishing private Images of Others
• Section 66F – Acts of cyber Terrorism
• Section 67 – Publishing Child Porn or predating children online
• Section 69 – Govt.’s Power to block websites
• Section 43A – Data protection at Corporate level
• A cybercrime complaint can be filed using the National Crime Reporting Portal of India-This portal is an initiative of the Government of India to facilitate victims/ complainants to report cybercrime complaints online.

What is Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN or ICERT)

• The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN or ICERT) is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India.
• CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occur.
• CERT-In has been operational since January 2004 and has been designated 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.
• CERT-IN has overlapping responsibilities with other agencies such as National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).
• Indian Penal Code, 1860 is also used to book criminals connected with cybercrimes.
• India also has a cyber security policy.

What are the Government Initiatives to Cope with Cyber Crimes in India

• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):
  • Coordinates nationwide efforts to combat various forms of cyber-crime.
• National Cyber Forensic Laboratory:
  • Offers early-stage cyber forensic support to Investigating Officers from all State/UT Police through online and offline modes.
• CyTrain Portal:
  • A Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platform designed for the capacity building of police officers, judicial officers, and prosecutors.
  • Focuses on critical aspects of cyber-crime investigation, forensics, and prosecution.
• National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal:
  • A platform allowing the public to report cyber-crime incidents, with special attention to crimes against women and children.
• Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System:
  • Enables immediate reporting of financial frauds.
  • Assists in lodging online cyber complaints through a toll-free helpline.
• Cybercrime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme:
  • Provides financial assistance to States/UTs to enhance the capabilities of Law Enforcement Agencies in investigating cyber-crimes.
• Joint Cyber Coordination Teams:
  • Established to improve coordination among Law Enforcement Agencies in States/UTs, particularly in areas with multi-jurisdictional issues related to cyber-crimes.
• Central Assistance for Modernization of Police:
  • Offers financial support to States/UTs for the acquisition of modern weaponry, advanced communication/forensic equipment, and cyber policing equipment.
• Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative:
  •  MeitY in collaboration with National e-Governance Division (NeGD) came up with this initiative in 2018 to build a cyber-resilient IT set up.
• National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC)
  • To battle cyber security threats in strategic areas such as air control, nuclear and space. It will function under the National Technical Research Organisation, a technical intelligence gathering agency controlled directly by the National Security Adviser in PMO.