Niraj Dubey
In the global world of ICT – website hacking, data breaching and other cyber security attacks have become a trend in today’s era. All we know is that data in the capacity of terabytes is being shared on daily basis in the form of documents, photos, files, videos and other form through internet. In the recent past, the whole world had witnessed multiple website security data breaches like, Big-Basket database, Domino’s and Air India. To ensure the safety and security of the huge amount of data is an utmost challenge for all the stakeholders. Since the world operates as a huge machine, Cybersecurity ecosystem or security ecosystem are extremely invested in protecting users’ benefit against cyber attacks. The consideration of cybersecurity and cyber threats is taken into account when severe malware attacks targeted company systems these days. In this situation, the demand for a cybersecurity ecosystem is unmistakable, that both public and private sectors need software development solutions for assuring national and international security. The cyber ecosystem is believed to adjust the relationship among participants within the cybersecurity infrastructure. Expressly, without a proper security level in the ecosystem, hackers could handily steal data, personal identities, and business secrets. Additionally, the core purpose of a healthy cyber ecosystem refers to keep participants working smoothly, while it deters the threat actors intruding the system. In the digital ecosystem, companies target keeping the process of information exchange secured, which is called continuous monitoring. By controlling the various solutions linking within the system, it is required software development, which automatically scans and detect potential security vulnerabilities to protect the assets of users and business (i.e user identities, secret information, payment details, etc.)
How India is building an ecosystem around cybersecurity
Because of the ever-changing nature of cyber threats, the government in India seems to have realized the dire need for cybersecurity initiatives, to come together under a National Cyber Security Policy (NCSP), with a unified vision and a set of sustained and coordinated strategies for implementation. According to the CERT-in data, India witnessed a three-fold increase in cybersecurity-related incidents in 2020 compared to 2019, recording 1.16 million breaches. The number of breaches is expected to increase in 2021 and 2022. According to government sources, there has been (6,07,220) recorded cybersecurity breaches till June 2021. On 28 April 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued new directions (2022 Directions) under Section 70B (6) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) incorporating a host of cyber-security, breach reporting, and record maintenance requirements to report incidents within six hours to storing system logs locally in India. These directions are likely to bring sweeping changes to the law relating to cyber security and data breaches in India. According to a Business standard report, in 2021-22, the government outspends its budgeted estimates on cyber security for the first time in past eight years. In its recent Budget, the government said it would spend 515 Crore rupees on cyber security in 2022-23. That’s a 10 times increase, compared to 2014-15. In light of the burgeoning digital sector in India, ambitious plans for quick transformation and rapid growth, the role of IT infrastructure is critical. At the same time, it needs a secure computing environment and enough trust and confidence in digital banking transactions, software, services, devices and networks across the nation. Such a focus enables the creation of a suitable cybersecurity ecosystem in the country, in tune with a globally networked environment. The overall market for cybersecurity is expanding fastly in both India and across the world. While India has been lagging behind other nations when it comes to cybersecurity and in fact had no cybersecurity policy before 2013, in the last few years much has changed, and the government’s plans are on a fast track to fostering cybersecurity. There are various ongoing initiatives and programs of the Indian Government to fight the cybersecurity challenges, which have significantly added to the creation of a platform that is now capable of supporting and sustaining the efforts in securing cyberspace.
Several projects are aiming to establish India as a leading hub by accelerating identification and development of cybersecurity technologies in the country to further strategic objectives, develop critical capabilities, exploit commercial potential, and thereby driving future-readiness. For example, Data Security Council of India (DSCI) is building a world-class infrastructure for creating momentum for cybersecurity technology development at its NOIDA campus. The program was formally launched in January 2020. It includes incubation for startups, state-of-the-art technology research lab, a unique infrastructure for things like forensics and testing, security training and R&D. Moving forward, National Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Cyber Security Technology Development is an idea conceptualized by Ministry of Electronics & IT and DSCI for setting up connected and coordinated efforts to foster cyber security development in India.
(The author is serving in GCET Jammu)
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