Government sanctions new posts to hire cyber security professionals -Governance Now

Government sanctions new posts to hire cyber security professionals

At present, ICERT functions with approximately 20 regular personnel

Pratap Vikram Singh | May 27, 2017 | New Delhi

#cyber security #ICERT #NCCC #MEITY

The government has sanctioned 111 posts of cyber security professionals for the Indian computer emergency response team (ICERT) under the ministry of electronics and information technology (MEITY), according to a ministry official, who added that the posts were sanctioned earlier this year.

The recruitment for the ICERT has been pending for at least five years and it is expected to strengthen the cyber incident response team, which is often criticised for not doing enough for cyber security. At present, ICERT functions with the help of approximately 20 regular staff, and a score of contractual staff, the official said.

Since the release of national cyber security policy 2013, the governments have made several announcements to beef up cyber security but have fallen short in their implementation. In 2015, the cabinet had approved over Rs 800 crore to set up the centre.

According to minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the proposed multi-agency National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) is expected to set up in June. The centre aims to provide near real time situational awareness about cyber threats and enable ‘timely information sharing for proactive, preventive and protective actions’. The centre will have participation from the intelligence bureau, research and analysis wing, military intelligence, three military services, central bureau of investigation, and national technical research organisation.

The recruitment for the first batch of scientists for the NCCC is under process, the official said. The ministry had put an advertisement inviting applications for the recruitment of 25 ‘scientist B’ category officials. These recruits may be joining the NCCC, another official said. Of the total sanctioned posts, a majority of the positions is expected to be allocated to the cyber coordination centre.

A set of posts will be set aside for the Botnet Cleaning Centre (or Cyber Swachhta Kendra), which was launched in February. The aim, according the government, is to detect and clean infected systems in the country. The centre is initiated in coordination with the internet service providers and industry.

In reply to a question on the proposed steps to strengthen ICERT in Lok Sabha in December, the ministry said, “The ministry of finance has approved creation of 20 new posts for Botnet Cleaning Centre under CERT-In and revival of 26 deemed abolished posts.”

The remaining posts will be allocated to the ICERT team, the official said. ICERT was allocated Rs 35 crore for the year 2016-17.

Under the IT Act, ICERT has to carry out a wide range of activities: data collection and analysis, sharing of advisories with people, organisations and critical facilities, incidence response, forecasting, coordination of cyber incident response, mock drills and issuing of guidelines and vulnerabilities, among others.

So far ICERT has organised 41 workshops for ministries, departments, states and UTs and critical organisations to sensitise them about the cyber security threat landscape and enabling them to prepare and implement the Cyber Crisis Management Plan, the ministry told the Parliament in December.

“Cyber security mock drills are being conducted regularly to enable assessment of cyber security posture and preparedness of organisations in government and critical sectors. So far 11 such drills have been conducted by ICERT where 110 organisations from different sectors such as finance, defence, power, telecom, transport, energy, space and IT/ITeS participated,” the ministry said.

At present, only a small, core team of officials at ICERT carry out a significant part these activities. If things go as planned, it is likely that ICERT’s combined strength will be over a 100 personnel in another one year.

Comments

Other News

On a personal note: DIVINE

An underground rapper who grew up on Mumbai streets, Divine spins his music around his environment and poverty. His breakout single, ‘Meri Gully Mein’, along with fellow rapper Naezy caught Bollywood’s attention. The Hindi film ‘Gully Boy’ is inspired by their lives and gr

The role model for an IAS officer

Anil Swarup, an IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre who retired in 2018, is a model bureaucrat who retained his optimism right till the end of service and exemplified dedication and commitment. His excitement at the opportunities that a job in the IAS provided is evident on every page of his new book publis

Reform of the civil services: At home and away

The question of reform of the civil services has been debated extensively at all levels at least over the last five to six decades after independence. Indeed, it was soon perceived that the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) may not be well equipped to deal with the problems of an emerging developing coun

The greatest challenge for any government

Shouting vengeance at all and sundry while wriggling out of holes of our own making seems to be our very special national characteristic. Some recent instances are illustrative of this attribute. A number of business tycoons with thousands of crores of unresolved debts have fled abroad with the government

The mysterious case of CBI’s legality

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) came into existence, based on a Resolution of the home ministry, dated April 1, 1963 – a sheer coincidence that it also happens to be April Fool’s day. Over the past few months, we have seen the CBI live up to its founding day with great zeal, being i

The Evolution of Modi

Gujarat was passing through a turbulent phase in the 1980s. The decade began middle class agitations against new reservation policies, and the caste friction turned communal under the watch of chief minister Madhavsinh Solanki, alienating majority of urban population on both counts. The ground was ripe for

Current Issue

Video

Opinion

Twitter

Tweets by @governancenow