India Issues Advisory to Tighten Cybersecurity Amid Tensions with Pak: Report
In the wake of rising tensions with Pakistan, India has issued an advisory to its financial and critical sectors to urgently strengthen their cybersecurity. According to a report by Moneycontrol, the advisory was issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the national technology arm of the Indian government.
The advisory comes in the wake of a recent surge in cyber attacks, which have caused significant financial losses and disruptions to critical infrastructure. The attacks, which were reportedly launched by Pakistani hackers, have targeted government websites, financial institutions, and other critical sectors.
The advisory, which was issued on October 11, urged critical infrastructure operators and financial institutions to take immediate action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture. This includes implementing robust firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software, as well as conducting regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
The advisory also warned of a specific type of cyber attack known as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which involves flooding a server with traffic in an attempt to overwhelm it and make it unavailable to users. This type of attack has been particularly effective in recent weeks, with several high-profile targets being hit, including the Indian government’s own website.
One of the most notable victims of these attacks was the official website of the Indian government’s National Informatics Centre (NIC), which was hit with a DDoS attack in September. The attack caused the website to become unavailable for several hours, causing significant disruptions to government services and operations.
The rise in cyber attacks follows a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed three Indian soldiers. The attack, which was claimed by Pakistani-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed, has heightened tensions between the two countries and led to a series of retaliatory measures, including the issuance of the cybersecurity advisory.
The advisory is the latest in a series of measures taken by the Indian government to strengthen its cybersecurity posture in the face of rising threats from Pakistan. In recent weeks, the government has also increased its efforts to detect and prevent cyber attacks, including the establishment of a new cyber command center and the deployment of additional cybersecurity personnel to key infrastructure sites.
Experts say that the advisory is a significant step forward in the fight against cyber attacks, and that it sends a strong message to potential attackers that India is serious about protecting its critical infrastructure.
“This advisory is a major step forward in the fight against cyber attacks,” said Rajesh Maurya, a cybersecurity expert with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). “It shows that the government is taking the threat of cyber attacks seriously and is taking concrete steps to protect its critical infrastructure.”
Maurya added that the advisory is particularly significant because it highlights the need for critical infrastructure operators and financial institutions to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
“Cyber attacks are a serious threat to critical infrastructure and financial institutions,” Maurya said. “The advisory makes it clear that these organizations need to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity, including implementing robust security measures and conducting regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.”
In addition to the advisory, the Indian government has also taken other measures to strengthen its cybersecurity posture, including the establishment of a new cyber command center and the deployment of additional cybersecurity personnel to key infrastructure sites.
The cyber command center, which was established in September, is responsible for coordinating the government’s response to cyber attacks and for providing real-time threat intelligence to critical infrastructure operators and financial institutions.
The deployment of additional cybersecurity personnel to key infrastructure sites is also seen as a significant step forward in the fight against cyber attacks. These personnel will be responsible for monitoring critical infrastructure systems and responding to any potential security breaches.
Overall, the advisory and other measures taken by the Indian government are seen as a significant step forward in the fight against cyber attacks, and are likely to have a major impact on the country’s cybersecurity posture.
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