Global Cybersecurity Index: ITU

• 01 Jul 2021

Why in News

Recently, India has ranked tenth (10^th) in Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020 by ITU (International Telecommunication Union) by moving up 37 places.

• The affirmation came just ahead of the sixth anniversary of Digital India on 1^st July.

Key Points

• Top Ranking:
  
  • The US topped (1^st), followed by the UK (United Kingdom) and Saudi Arabia tied on the second position together.
  • Estonia was ranked third (3^rd) in the index.
• Results for India:
  
  • India scored a total of 97.5 points from a possible maximum of 100 points, to make it to the tenth position worldwide in the GCI 2020.
  • India secured the fourth position in the Asia Pacific region.
  • India is emerging as a global IT superpower, asserting its digital sovereignty with firm measures to safeguard data privacy and online rights of citizens.
  • The result shows substantial overall improvement and strengthening under all parameters of the cybersecurity domain.
• Basis of Assessment:
  
  • On the basis of performance on five parameters of cybersecurity, which are,
    
    • Legal measures, technical measures, organisational measures, capacity development, and cooperation.
  • The performance is then aggregated into an overall score.
• International Telecommunication Union:
  
  • It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs.
  • Founded in 1865 to facilitate international connectivity in communications networks. It is Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.
  • Recently, India got elected as a member of ITU Council for another 4-year term - from 2019 to 2022. India has remained a regular member since 1952.
• Challenges to Cyber Security in India:
  
  • Deploying multiple cybersecurity tools reinforces a fragmented and complex security environment that is prone to risks arising from human error.
  • Cybersecurity challenges companies face as they shift the majority of their employees to a remote working arrangement in a really short period of time.
  • India lacks indigenization in hardware as well as software cybersecurity tools. This makes India’s cyberspace vulnerable to cyberattacks motivated by state and non-state actors.
    
    • India doesn’t have an ‘active cyber defense’ like the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the US’ Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act.
• Efforts to Improve Cyber Security in India:
  
  • National Cyber Security Strategy 2020: It is being formulated to improve cyber awareness and cybersecurity through more stringent audits.
  • Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 (based on the recommendation of Justice BN Srikrishna Committee) to secure citizens' data.
  • The scheme to set up I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) was approved in October 2018, to deal with all types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
  • National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) functions as the nodal agency for coordination of all cyber security efforts, emergency responses, and crisis management.
  • Protection and resilience of critical information infrastructure with the set up of National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).
• International Mechanisms:
  
  • Budapest Convention on Cybercrime: It is an international treaty that seeks to address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. It came into force on 1^st July 2004. India is not a signatory to this convention.
  • Internet Governance Forum (IGF): It brings together all stakeholders i.e. government, private sector and civil society on the Internet governance debate.

Source: IE