Cyber security organisations in India

On November 23, e-­services at the All ­India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were effected by what is being suspected to be a ransomware attack.

• Ransomware is a type of malicious software, used by cyber criminals, to infect a computer system by blocking access to the stored data by encrypting the files.

• A ransom is then demanded from the owner in exchange for the decryption key.

Cyber security organisations in India

• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT­In): Set up in 2004, the CERT­In is the national nodal agency that collects, analyses and circulates inputs on cyber­attacks; issues guidelines, advisories for preventive measures, forecasts and issues alerts; and takes measures to handle any significant cyber security event. It also imparts training to computer system managers.

• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team: This is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India.

• National Cyber Security Coordinator: The National Cyber Security Coordinator, under the National Security Council Secretariat, coordinates with different agencies at the national level on cybersecurity issues. The Centre works on creating awareness about existing and potential threats.

• National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre: It has been set up for the protection of national critical information infrastructure. It is a unit of the National Technical Research Organisation under the National Security Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, India.

• Cyber Swachhta Kendra: According to the government, the Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) has been launched for detection of malicious software programmes and to provide free tools to remove the same. Ans (a)