The government is gearing up to establish a national cybersecurity agency to ensure the safety of telecommunication networks and services, according to a senior official. Speaking anonymously, the official acknowledged the escalating frequency of cyberattacks in recent years and stressed the necessity of securing critical infrastructure. Although the timeline and specifics are yet to be determined, the proposed agency is envisioned as the central authority overseeing cyberspace. Globally, nations like the US, UK, South Korea, and Japan have already formed cybersecurity agencies to combat cyber threats, involving collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including police and defense.
The Telecommunications Bill 2023 criminalizes cyberattacks and unauthorized access to telecom networks, prescribing imprisonment for three years or a fine of ₹2 crore, or a combination of both. Cyberattacks have been on the rise, with telecom operators facing multiple attacks daily. Recognizing the severity of the issue, telecom companies have been investing significantly in infrastructure to bolster network security. Another official emphasized the imperative for every country to secure its cyberspace, anticipating that future wars will likely be fought through cyberwarfare rather than conventional weapons.
In addition to cyberattacks, the incidence of online fraud, where perpetrators impersonate someone’s identity, is increasing. To address this, the Telecommunications Bill includes legal provisions to penalize anyone forging telecommunication identifiers. The legislation aims to curb the fraudulent use of virtual telecom identifiers, preventing individuals from creating them and imposing severe penalties for violations. A telecommunication identifier, as defined by the Bill, comprises a series of digits, characters, and symbols used to uniquely identify a user, telecom service, network elements, equipment, or an authorized entity.
The government plans to allocate telecommunication identifiers for use by authorized entities and individuals, with recognition of identifiers allotted by international bodies. The official emphasized that with legal backing for cybersecurity and cybercrimes, the government now has the means to enforce requirements and laws beyond India’s borders, addressing concerns about penalizing perpetrators residing outside the country.
