INDIAN COMPUTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM - SCI & TECH

News: CoWIN vaccination data out, govt. denies breach

 

What is in the news?

       Recently, the Union IT Ministry said that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is set to investigate the issue of CoWIN vaccination data leak.

 

Key takeaways from the news:

       The CoWIN portal was completely safe with adequate safeguards for data privacy.

 

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In):

About: CERT - It is a national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occurred.

 

Year of establishment: 2004

 

Functions: Under the Information Technology Act 2008, some functions have been provided to the institution.

       Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber incidents

       Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents

       Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents

       Coordination of cyber incident response activities

       Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes relating to information security.

       Such other functions relating to cyber security as may be prescribed.

 

Nodal ministry: Ministry of Information and Technology.

 

Cyber related initiatives:

1. Budapest Convention on Cybercrime: It is the first international treaty that seeks to address Internet and cybercrime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques and increasing cooperation among nations.

       It came into force in 2004.

       India is not a signatory to this convention.

2. Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre(I4C): It was established in 2018 to combat cybercrime in India in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

       It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.