Context The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, has stressed the need for a national framework to thwart cyberattacks that have been on the rise in India.
Key takeaways
While a national cybersecurity strategy is being planned, the country is also in urgent need of a data protection law, with cybercriminals increasingly weaponising data as a tool against national security in the post-pandemic era.
Increased cybercrimes: Cyber crimes have gone up by almost 500% in India during the global pandemic.
New threats: India needs 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.
Technology dependency: The lockdown, which witnessed a deeper adoption of interconnected devices and hybrid work environment, has increased our dependence on technology. This renders us digitally more vulnerable than ever before.
Besides, Information Technology Act, 2000, that dealt with cybersecurity and cybercrimes is not equipped to consider new-age changes in the mode of functioning of businesses and modus operandi of crimes in cyberspace.