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Technology
Cyber Security Digital Infrastructure India NCRF Technology

How India is Gearing Up to Tackle Cyber Threats Together

 


At the Bharat National Cybersecurity Exercise (Bharat NCX) 2024, experts highlighted the urgent need for collaboration, training, and technological innovation to protect India's expanding digital infrastructure from rising cyber threats. 

India, one of the most connected countries globally, faces increasing cybersecurity challenges as over 1.4 billion people access the internet. Colonel Nidhish Bhatnagar, Chief Mentor at the School of Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity, noted that this rapid digital growth has placed India among the top 10 cyber-resilient nations. Critical infrastructure such as power grids, healthcare, and financial networks now benefit from national-level security measures aimed at preventing large-scale disruptions.  

Training and Innovation: Key to Cyber Defense 

Dr. Jatin Patel, Director of Rashtriya Raksha University, emphasized the importance of simulation-based training exercises to prepare professionals in sectors like energy and healthcare for real-world cyberattacks. "Informed decision-making is crucial to safeguard India's critical infrastructure from targeted attacks," Patel explained. 

Key initiatives launched at the event include: 

1. National Cybersecurity Reference Framework (NCRF) – A standardized guideline for industries to adopt best practices in securing critical systems. 

2. National Cyber Range 1.0 (NCR-1.0) – India’s first indigenous cyber range designed to simulate sophisticated attacks and train cybersecurity professionals. 

Lt. Gen. M.U. Nair (Retd.), National Cyber Security Coordinator, stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration, while Deputy National Security Advisor T.V. Ravichandran underscored the role of emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain in building proactive cybersecurity frameworks. 

“Our goal is to embed cybersecurity into every aspect of critical infrastructure,” Ravichandran said, emphasizing the importance of being proactive rather than reactive in mitigating risks. 

A Vision for a Secure Digital Future 

Bharat NCX 2024 showcased India's commitment to cybersecurity innovation. With initiatives like NCRF, NCR-1.0, and a thriving startup ecosystem, India is well-positioned to tackle evolving cyber challenges. By fostering continuous collaboration, training, and technological adaptation, the nation aims to lead in global cybersecurity resilience, ensuring a secure digital future for all its citizens.

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ransomware attacks
AIIMS All India Institute of Medical Science Cyber Response Framework Cyber Security NCRF ransomware attacks

AIIMS Ransomware Attack Leads to a New Cyber Response Framework


On November 23, 2022, the All India Institute of Medical Science, Delhi (AIIMS), suffered a cyber attack  that was labeled by police as “cyber terrorism.” As a result of the cyberattack, offline patient services like appointment booking, billing, and diagnostic reporting of the country’s principal government hospital were halted. 

Since the attack targeted the hospital’s primary and backup servers, patients and the workforce were left with no access to records or test reports for a brief time. In response to the ransomware attack on AIIMS, the government was prompted to create a cyber response mechanism, according to former cybersecurity chief Lt Gen Rajesh Pant.

National Cybersecurity Response Framework

The ransomware attack impelled the government into establishing a national cybersecurity response framework (NCRF). According to Pant, the attack has shone a spotlight on the need to protect “critical infrastructure.” “It was realized that critical sectors need to have a uniform framework to respond to cybersecurity[…]So, the NCRF was conceptualised. It will be put in the public domain for critical infrastructure, such as those in the power and health sectors to implement,” said Pant.

The framework, according to the former NCRF chief, establishes dependable businesses and supply chain procedures and outlines the design of a cyber defense system.

While the National Informatics Centre and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) teams began working on an investigation into the incident, the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) cell of the Delhi Police filed an FIR against unidentified individuals alleging violations of the cyber terrorism act.

As per Pant, the AIIMS attacks presented certain loopholes in the present cyber defenses, serving as a lesson to be better prepared with critical information infrastructure and address vulnerabilities. “The manner in which the network was architected, was not done by professionals but by a team of doctors. There were too many loopholes in the network, and it was easy to get into the network[…]A lot of lessons have come out from the incident from a government point of view, and these will, hopefully be implemented,” he said. Moreover, he noted that this framework would address some significant gaps in the response mechanisms. “There is a need for standard operating procedures to handle such incidents to that steps for mitigation are taken with immediate effect.”

Adding to this, he addressed a need for inter-ministerial cooperation and the setting up of a nodal ministry to address cybersecurity threats since cybersecurity is constantly evolving. “According to the business allocation rules, no ministry is solely dedicated to addressing such incidents. The concept of peace has changed today, there is no peace in cyberspace,” he added.

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