Critical Infrastructure is backbone of any Nation and
if they are targeted then loss of tremendous nature can occur. It is
also not necessary that critical infrastructure is attacked through
physical presence at the place of critical infrastructure.
These days’ critical infrastructures are managed
by information and communication technology (ICT). For instance, the
supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are the new
cyber attack battlefield for cyber criminals and rouge
nations. In these circumstances, protection of critical
infrastructure of India is of utmost importance.
Critical infrastructure protection (CIP) in India is
an integral part of cyber
security of India and the same must be a part of cyber
security policy of India as well. Similarly, critical
ICT infrastructure protection in India is also urgently
required.
Malware like Stuxnet
and Duqu
have already proved that critical infrastructures like power
grids, nuclear
facilities, satellites,
defense
networks, governmental
informatics infrastructures, etc are vulnerable to
sophisticated cyber attacks. The truth is that cyber
attacks are affecting Indian critical infrastructure.
We have no dedicated and implementable critical
ICT infrastructure protection policy of India. Even we
have no implementable cyber
crisis management plan of India as on date. Although
constitution of a national
critical information infrastructure protection centre (NCIPC) of
India has been suggested yet its constitution may still
take decades. Till then the critical
infrastructure protection (CIP) and homeland security (HS) of India
would remain in doldrums.
It is high time to consider the cyber
security reflections and work towards strengthening of
cyber security of India. Further, issues of cyber
warfare against India and its defenses must also be
considered as cyber
warfare against India is no more a fiction but a reality. Perry4Law
and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB)
hope that Indian government would consider these recommendations as
soon as possible and act accordingly.
