Computer Emergency Response Team

To enhance the security of India’s Communications and Information Infrastructure through proactive action and effective collaboration, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in) was established in January 2004. The main function of CERT-In is to provide early security warning and effective incident response.   It operates on 24 x 7 basis and is actively engaging its users with early warning alerts and advisories.  It is aimed at catering to the needs of critical sectors, law enforcement & judiciary and e-governance project owners.  Special trainings programs are being conducted for judicial officers and Law enforcement agencies.  About hundred personnel from various Government agencies have been trained at the Carnegie Mellon University, USA as Master trainers that can train many more in the country.

In the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008, CERT-In has been designated to serve as the national agency to perform the following functions in the area of cyber security:

• Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber incidents
• Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents
• Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents
• Coordination of cyber incident response activities
• Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes and whitepapers relating to information security practices, procedures, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents

CERT-In has taken steps to implement National Information Security Assurance Programme (NISAP) to create awareness in government and critical sector organizations and to develop and implement information security policy and information security best practices based on ISO/IEC 27001 for protection of their infrastructure. CERT-in has established the facility for Computer Forensics for investigation of cyber crimes and to provide hands on training to the law enforcement agencies and judiciary. This infrastructure is being augmented to include network forensics and mobile forensics investigation facility. CERT-In is cooperating with defence, banks, and judiciary and law enforcement agencies in training their officials as well as extending the support in investigation of cyber crimes.