Need to stay ahead of cyberattackers: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba

NEW DELHI: Security agencies in the country have to stay ahead of cyberattackers as cyberattacks are among the key security challenges India is facing and they could pose wide-ranging threats to key installations and cripple financial institutions, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba said on Thursday. Gauba said it was essential for organisations and the government to constantly improve their capabilities and technologies in order to enhance their ability to respond.

“Cyberattack is one of the important security challenges that the country is facing today, or the world is facing. They can result in leakage of sensitive information,” he said.

Gauba was speaking during a conference on homeland security organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “Generally, we do good in assessment, but the same cannot be said for readiness because readiness entails investment and expertise. We need sound legal assessment and state-of-the-art technical capabilities. That is where the private sector and government agencies have to work together,” he said.

The home secretary also spoke about the phenomenon of increase in cyberespionage by corporates and by hostile governments to steal trade secrets and information to gain economic or military advantage.

“Cyberattacks have become more organised with significant funding, passion; they are sophisticated, they often gain access and they wait for the right time, for the moment of their choice for their attacks,” he said.
Gauba said the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted regular security assessments and vulnerability assessments. In the last few years, the awareness and capability of government agencies had vastly increased.

Gauba said many of the country’s cyberattacks had been traced to Jamtara, Jharkhand, from where many of the attackers operate.