Government to hold global challenge to build cyber taskforce for India

With a view to identify and build a task force of technically competent and talented individuals who could be called cyber defenders and deployed for critical cyber security roles, the government has organised a global cyber challenge. The initiative comes in the backdrop of increased instances of cyber frauds and other risks on digital platforms.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT in collaboration with Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) is organising a global cyber challenge and the government’s digital platform ‘Mygov’ has invited people to participate. Officials said that with the main objective being empowerment of cyber security, the challenge will be based on different problem statements to which participants will render an effective solution in the form of an app or a project.

The aim of these events is to foster problem-solving capabilities of the youth by introducing them to real world cyber threats and to come out with technologies that can translate as effective solutions.

Officials said that these cyber challenges will also help in congregating ideas, concepts and technologies to be turned into practical solutions for cyber security issues. “This will help in fostering a community of talented cyber security experts and cyber security startups to support the Government of India initiatives of Secure Digital India, Start-up India, Skill India and Make in India for creating a peaceful and harmonious cyberspace and a secure cyber ecosystem,” said an official.

The increased use of digital platforms for significant purposes including storing sensitive data of government secrets or military strategies or rapid financial transactions have also opened doors to newer and more advanced types of cyber-attacks.

Due to heightened pervasiveness and ubiquity, a minor effect on one system drastically damages many others concurrently. This has given birth to a long felt need for cyber-intelligent defences and the protection of high assurance computer systems. Not just that, the threats to an ordinary citizen have also intensified along with the challenges to law enforcement bodies making it indispensable to adopt better security and response systems,” said an official of Mygov.

At the outset, it has been planned that the Global Cyber Challenge will be conducted at different levels. First, an online screening round will be conducted on the MyGov portal. Then, select teams from the online round will qualify for the regional challenges which will be conducted as run-up events.

The Hackathon or Innovate Cyber Challenge will be based on different problem statements to which participants will render an effective solution in the form of an app or project.

Problem statements for Cyber solutions

·         Protection of Navigation Technology Infrastructure

·         Mitigating Public Sector Cyber Cascades

·         Security of Internet of Things

·         Security of CII and Digital Payments

·         Customer Empowerment for Digital Banking Security

·         Technology as a Resolve to Cyber Risks to Child

·         Driving Innovation to Monitor Online Sexual Abuse Against Children

·         Honeypots

·         Fake News

·         Security of Women Online

·         Integrated Recourse for Digital Fraud Victims

·         Mobile Security

·         Digital Awareness