Global Cybersecurity Index: ITU

Global Cybersecurity Index: ITU

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Cybersecurity 

In news

• Recently, India has ranked tenth (10th) in Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020 by ITU (International Telecommunication Union) by moving up 37 places.
• Top countries: USA (1st), UK and Saudi Arabia (2nd), Estonia (3rd)

• Performance is based on five parameters of cybersecurity – Legal measures, technical measures, organisational measures, capacity development, and cooperation

About India’s performance

• India scored a total of 97.5 points 
• India secured the fourth position in the Asia Pacific region.
• India is emerging as a global IT superpower
• There has been substantial overall improvement and strengthening of the cybersecurity domain.

About International Telecommunication Union

• It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs.
• Founded in 1865 
• Objective: To facilitate international connectivity in communications networks. 
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Functions:
  • It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits
  • Develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect
  • Strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.

Efforts to Improve Cyber Security in India

• National Cyber Security Strategy 2020: It is being formulated to improve cyber awareness and cybersecurity through more stringent audits.
• Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 (based on the recommendation of Justice BN Srikrishna Committee) to secure citizens’ data.
• The scheme to set up I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) was approved in October 2018, to deal with all types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
• National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) functions as the nodal agency for coordination of all cyber security efforts, emergency responses, and crisis management.
• Protection and resilience of critical information infrastructure with the set up of National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).