New Delhi, NFAPost: It is a reality and India is ready to take head on this challenge. While emphasising the magnitude of India’s cyber vulnerability stating that there is 500% spike in cybercrimes across the country, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said there is a concerted efforts from industry, academia and policy makers to come up with a national framework to thwart cyber attacks that have been on the rise in the country.
His statement assumes significance as China and other countries have established their footprint in cyber warfare with cyber command. India is feeling its heat with a few attack on its sensitive installations and civilian engagement with malware created by external countries and actors in cyber world.
General Rawat made this statement while delivering the inaugural address of the 14th edition of c0c0n, the annual cyber security and hacking conference organised by the Kerala Police.
While a National Cybersecurity Strategy is in the offing, the country is engaging with international organisations and countries like the US and Israel to frame new data protection law on a wider way. This assumes significance as cybercriminals across the globe are increasingly weaponising data as a tool against national security in the post-pandemic era, he added.
“Cyber crimes have gone up by almost 500% in India during the global pandemic. We need to consider the emerging threats from new technologies such as drones, ransomware, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and also the role of nation states in such cyber attacks. The lockdown, which witnessed a deeper adoption of interconnected devices and hybrid work environments, has increased our dependence on technology. This renders us digitally more vulnerable than ever before,” said Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat.
General Rawat said the Information Technology Act, 2000, that dealt with cybersecurity and cyber crimes is not equipped to consider new-age changes in the mode of functioning of businesses and modus operandi of crimes in cyberspace.
The CDS also lamented the delay in passing the Personal Data Protection Bill that had been tabled in Parliament two years ago. “Data is the new goldmine for any organisation, especially for the bad elements that lurk in the dark web. With cybercriminals and inimical actors increasingly using information to threaten national security, the matter is of serious concern,” General Rawat said.
