Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Introduce with what does cyber attack mean.
• Analyse the impact of cross-border cyber-attacks.
• Discuss defensive measures against these sophisticated cyber attacks.
• Suggest a way forward.

Introduction

A cyber-attack is a type of attack that targets computer systems, infrastructures, networks, or personal computer devices using various methods at hands. Depending on the context, cyberattacks can be part of cyberwarfare or cyberterrorism. A cyber-attack can be employed by sovereign states, individuals, groups, society, or organisations, and it may originate from an anonymous source.

Body

The term ‘cross-border’ implies a movement or an activity across a border between the two countries. Impact of cross-border cyber-attacks include:

• Debilitating impact on Critical Information Infrastructure (power plants, nuclear plants,  telecommunications etc.).
• It can be used as spyware to get sensitive information.
• Terrorists may use social media to plan and execute terror attacks and for virulent propaganda to incite hatred and violence.

The defensive measures undertaken to counter cross-border cyber-attacks are:

• Coordination with different agencies at the national level.
• The government needs to issue alerts and advisories regarding the latest cyber threats and countermeasures on a regular basis.
• The Information Technology Act, 2000 has deterrent provisions to deal with cyber-attacks.
• National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) has been established to deal with cyber security issues.
• The National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) has been set up for timely sharing of information with individual entities.
• Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) has been launched for detection of malicious programs and provide free tools to remove the same.
• The Technology Development Board and Data Security Council of India (DSCI) have jointly decided to promote cyber security start-ups in India.

Conclusion

The need of the hour is to produce a futuristic National Cyber-Security Policy which allocates adequate resources and addresses the concerns of the stakeholders.