CERT-In reports 62,189 cyber security incidents till May

15 Jul 2014

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The Indian government's cyber security arm, Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-In), reported 62,189 cyber security incidents in the first five months of the current calendar year.

The government body further reported that   9,174 Indian websites were hacked by groups spread across the world, communication and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"During the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 (till May), a total number of 21,699, 27,605, 28,481 and 9,174 Indian websites were hacked by various hacker groups spread across worldwide. In addition, during these years, a total number of 13,301, 22,060, 71,780 and 62,189 security incidents, respectively, were reported to the CERT-In," Prasad added.

The incidents included phishing, scanning, spam, malicious code and website intrusions, according to the minister.

He further told the House that there had been attempts from time to time to launch cyber attacks on Indian cyber space.

"These attacks have been observed to be originating from the cyber space of a number of countries including the US, Europe, Brazil, Turkey, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and the UAE," he added.

It had been observed that the attackers compromised computer systems located in different parts of the world and deployed user masquerading techniques and hidden servers to conceal the identity of the actual system from which the attacks were being launched, Prasad said.

"Cyber space is virtual, borderless and anonymous due to which it becomes difficult to actually trace the origin of a cyber attack," the minister added.

The Times of India reported that in view of the increasing cases of cyberattacks emanating from the web space of a host of nations, including Pakistan, China and the UAE, the government had ordered security auditing of the entire IT infrastructure of the central and the state governments.

Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said yesterday that there had been a spurt in cybercrimes against Indian establishments and the exercise had been initiated to check the preparation of government establishments against such activities.

Meanwhile, IANS reported that the government had circulated Computer Security Policy and Guidelines to all the ministries and departments for taking steps to prevent, detect and mitigate cyber attacks.

"All central government ministries/departments and state/Union Territory governments have been advised to conduct security auditing of entire IT infrastructure. All the new government websites and applications are to be audited with respect to cybersecurity prior to their hosting," Prasad informed Lok Sabha.

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