The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is a national agency responsible for cybersecurity incident response and proactive measures for the Indian government. It operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and is responsible for protecting Indian cyberspace from cyber threats and attacks. CERT-In was established in 2004 and had since been working towards creating a secure cyber ecosystem in India.
CERT-In is a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), a group of experts responsible for handling cybersecurity incidents. CERTs are established by governments, private organizations, and academic institutions to provide incident response services, alerts, and incident handling guidelines. CERTs are responsible for resolving incidents such as data breaches, denial-of-service attacks, and other cybersecurity threats.
CERT-In’s primary objective is to protect Indian cyberspace from cyber threats and attacks. It provides proactive measures to prevent cyber-attacks and responds to cyber incidents when they occur. CERT-In also provides cybersecurity awareness and training programs to government agencies, private organizations, and the general public.
CERT-In’s functions include the following:
1. Incident Response: CERT-In is responsible for responding to cybersecurity incidents and assisting organizations affected by cyber attacks. It provides technical support and guidance to organizations to help them recover from cyber attacks.
2. Vulnerability Management: CERT-In identifies vulnerabilities in Indian cyberspace and provides guidelines to organizations to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
3. Cyber Threat Intelligence: CERT-In collects and analyzes cyber threat intelligence to identify emerging cyber threats and provide early warning to organizations.
4. Cybersecurity Awareness: CERT-In provides cybersecurity awareness and training programs to government agencies, private organizations, and the general public to create a secure cyber ecosystem in India.
5. Research and Development: CERT-In conducts research and development activities to develop new technologies and tools to enhance cybersecurity in India.
CERT-In has established a 24×7 National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to protect critical information infrastructure in India. NCIIPC is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating cyber threats to critical information infrastructure in India.
CERT-In has also established sectoral CERTs to provide sector-specific cybersecurity services. These sectoral CERTs include the Banking and Financial Sector CERT, the Power Sector CERT, the Defence CERT, and the Telecom CERT.
CERT-In has issued guidelines and advisories to organizations to protect themselves from cyber threats. It has also established a Cyber Swachhta Kendra to provide free tools and services to Indian citizens to protect their devices from malware and other cyber threats.
In conclusion, CERT-In is a national agency responsible for cybersecurity incident response and proactive measures for the Indian government. It provides incident response services, vulnerability management, cyber threat intelligence, cybersecurity awareness, and research and development activities to create a secure cyber ecosystem in India. CERT-In has established a 24×7 National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre and sectoral CERTs to provide sector-specific cybersecurity services. It has issued guidelines and advisories to organizations to protect themselves from cyber threats and established a Cyber Swachhta Kendra to provide free tools and services to Indian citizens to protect their devices from malware and other cyber threats.
