Let me start with a question- How would you describe the latest defacement of the Central bureau of India (CBI) website? Lack of preparedness, lack of seriousness for cyber security or something which cannot be prevented, no matter how secured the systems are. The answers might be different but we will have to agree upon a particular notion that we have a serious problem at hands and these repeated incidents reflect that the current solution (if there is one) is not working for us.
In this context, the recent comments from Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) that it is developing a mechanism to make websites hacking-proof comes as a welcome sign. DRDO, for some time now, has been focusing hard on indigenously developed systems. Sometime back, it announced its plans to develop an Indian Operating system and an Indian microprocessor. Thus, the recent announcement to develop hacking-proof websites and other software seems to be perfectly in line with the earlier one. The assumption here is that indigenously developed hardware and software will keep the hackers away from gaining access and stealing information from the system.
It is not a secret that we are still susceptible when it comes to cyber security, cyber laws or cyber forensics. Our cyberspace is under constant attack from within and outside the country. (Earlier this year there were reports of Chinese hackers pilfering some top secret files of Indian defence ministry. The latest defacement attack is another such incident). We still lack good techno legal training in the fields of cyber security, cyber law or cyber forensics. Cyber security has become a national concern as such. In this regard, Government’s recent proposal to build an Indian cyber army of software professionals and to encourage indigenously developed hardware and software is a step in right direction. But what we need now is sound security policies and strategies to ensure that these plans are implemented in the most effective manner. Can we do that? What do you think?
The only problem in India is we always wait for something to happen and then realize there’s a problem and start digging for solution.It’s not like there is a flaw in the whole system but there are some parts of the system for which good attention and security is required which we they never realized.The interesting part is we are called as Technology hub for the whole world,but we cannot provide security to our own system.