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CERT-In under IT Act, 2000 Section 70B: National Agency for Cyber Incident Response
CERT-In remains in focus as India’s national agency for cyber incident response amid rising cyber threats such as ransomware, AI-driven scams, phishing, and organised financial fraud. It operates under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, with institutional mechanisms highlighted for incident response and cybercrime coordination.
CERT-In and Institutional Frameworks for Cyber Incident Response (India):
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Establishment | Established in 2004 under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000. |
| Status | Serves as the national agency for cyber incident response. |
| Nodal ministry | Governed by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. |
| Mandate | Mandates cyber incidents analysing, issuing alerts, and coordinating with law enforcement. |
| Cyber Swachhta Kendra | Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre; provides free tools to detect and remove malicious programs. |
| National Cyber Coordination Centre | Scans cyberspace metadata to generate situational awareness and detect threats; facilitates real-time information sharing. |
| Computer Security Incident Response Teams | CERT-In authorises and oversees a network of sectoral CSIRTs (includes CSIRT-Fin and CSIRT-Power) and State-level CSIRTs for specialised incident response. |
| Cyber Crisis Management Plan | Strategic framework for all government bodies to counter major cyberattacks and ensure coordinated recovery. |
| Security Assurance Framework | Empanelled auditors conducting regular audits and vulnerability assessments of government and critical sector systems. |
| NCIIPC | National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre is the nodal agency under Section 70A of the IT Act; dedicated to protecting critical sectors including banking, telecom, power, and transport. |
| I4C | Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs; coordinates law enforcement responses to cybercrime and manages the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. |
| National Cyber Security Coordinator | Operates under the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) to ensure coordination among different agencies. |
| CFCFRMS | Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System provides for the toll-free helpline “1930” for immediate reporting of financial fraud. |