Relevance: GS III (Internal Security – Cyber Security) | Source: PIB; MeitY Annual Report
1. The Context: Protecting a Billion Screens
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has released its performance report for 2025.
- The Challenge: With India’s internet user base crossing 100 crore and UPI processing billions of transactions, the “attack surface” for hackers has exploded.
- The Response: In 2025 alone, CERT-In handled over 29 lakh cyber incidents and issued 1,530 proactive alerts to prevent data breaches.
2. What is CERT-In? (The Basics)
Think of CERT-In as the “Fire Department” for the internet.
- Nodal Agency: It is the national agency responsible for responding to cyber security incidents.
- Ministry: Functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
- Legal Power: It was established under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
3. Key Tools & Frameworks
CERT-In doesn’t work alone. It operates specialized tools to keep the web clean:
- Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK): A “Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre.” It detects infected devices (computers/mobiles) and provides free tools to citizens to clean them.
- NCCC (National Cyber Coordination Centre): It scans internet traffic at the metadata level (not content) to detect real-time cyber threats across the country.
- Sectoral Firewalls: It has created specialized teams like CSIRT-Fin (for Banking) and CSIRT-Power (for the Power Grid) to protect critical infrastructure.
UPSC Value Box
Concept / Term | Relevance for Prelims |
| Botnet | A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge (often used for DDoS attacks). Cyber Swachhta Kendra targets these. |
| Section 70B (IT Act) | The specific legal provision that empowers CERT-In to call for information and direct service providers/intermediaries during a cyber incident. |
| Ransomware | Malware that encrypts a user’s files and demands payment for the decryption key. CERT-In conducts drills (like “Synergy”) to prepare for such attacks. |
Q. With reference to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), consider the following statements:
- It is the nodal agency for responding to cyber security incidents in India.
- It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- The “Cyber Swachhta Kendra” represents a Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre operated by CERT-In.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: (b)
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