Centre streamlines cybercrime fighting mechanism
- September 29, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Centre streamlines cybercrime fighting mechanism
Sub: SCI
Sec: Awareness in IT
Context:
- In an effort to further streamline cyber security and measures against cybercrime, President Droupadi Murmu allocated responsibilities to three Ministries and the National Security Council Secretariat.
- Accordingly, the Cabinet Secretariat has notified changes in Allocation of Business Rules.
- The borderless nature of cyberspace poses significant challenges for crime prevention and response.
- This streamlined approach aims to bolster India’s defence against the increasing threat of cybercrime while improving the overall cybersecurity infrastructure.
Responsibilities under the notification:
- Department of Telecommunications: Responsible for security of telecom networks.
- Electronics & Information Technology Ministry (MeitY): Responsible for cybersecurity matters as per the Information Technology Act, 2000.
- Internal Security Department (Home Ministry): Responsible for matters related to cybercrime.
- National Security Council Secretariat: Responsible for overall coordination and strategic direction for cybersecurity.
Government Initiatives for cyber security:
- Meghdoot Cloud Suite: A free and open-source cloud solution developed to address cybersecurity needs.
- Hardened Mobile operating system: Developed by C-DAC to enforce custom security policies on pre-built software in devices.
- CERT-In: Designated as the national agency for responding to cybersecurity incidents.
- National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC): Implemented by CERT-In to monitor and detect cybersecurity threats.
Coordination mechanism:
- State Responsibility: States/UTs are tasked with prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes through their law enforcement agencies (LEAs).
- Support from the Centre: The Centre provides advisories and financial assistance to States/UTs for capacity building of LEAs.
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): Established to strengthen comprehensive mechanisms for addressing cybercrimes.
- Joint Cyber Coordination Teams (JCCTs): Set up in seven regions (Mewat, Jamtara, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Vishakhapatnam, Guwahati) under I4C to enhance coordination among LEAs, focusing on cybercrime hotspots and multi-jurisdictional issues.
Cybercrime Statistics:
- As per the data published by the NCRB, cases registered under the cybercrime head (involving communication devices as medium/target) during the period from 2020 to 2022 rose to around 66,000 from around 50,000.