Made-in-India Web Browser

Sub : Sci

Sec: Awareness in IT and Computer

Why in News

The Indian government has taken a significant step towards promoting an indigenous web browser by awarding a prize of ₹1 crore to Zoho Corporation, a Tenkasi-based company, for developing the web browser ‘Ulaa.’ A key requirement for this initiative is that the browser must trust India’s root certifying authority, ensuring greater cybersecurity and digital independence.

Details:

The project aims to enhance India’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that an Indian-developed web browser relies on domestic encryption mechanisms.
This initiative also acts as a contingency plan to maintain an operational internet ecosystem within India in case of global disruptions.
The new browser, Ulaa, is expected to strengthen India’s position in negotiations with global technology firms like Google and Mozilla.

Root Certifying Authorities (RCAs):

RCAs are entities that certify the trustworthiness of firms issuing Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates, which are denoted by “https” in web addresses.
Globally, there are about 100 RCAs responsible for maintaining online security.
The presence of an Indian root certifying authority ensures that the country has control over digital security infrastructure.
The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has developed India’s root certificate.
At present, only one Indian private firm, eMudhra’s emSign, is recognized as a trusted root certifying authority by international web browsers.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL):

SSL is a cryptographic protocol designed to secure communication over the internet by encrypting data between a web server and a browser.
SSL has been replaced by Transport Layer Security (TLS) since SSL 3.0 was deprecated due to security vulnerabilities.
It ensures confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in online communications.
Issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) to verify website authenticity and enable HTTPS encryption.
Websites using SSL/TLS display a padlock icon and “https://” in the browser address bar.
Uses asymmetric encryption for authentication and symmetric encryption for data transmission.