Panel for raising cyber battalions

As the cyber world marches ahead at a breakneck speed, a task force to study cyber security has called for making it an integral component of national security. It has called for raising cyber battalions to provide “surge capacity” to bolster the country’s resources during critical periods or in the events of hostilities.

Noting that the e-governance was moving at a fast pace and cybercrimes were also multiplying from zero in 2004 to 13,000 in 2011, the task force, comprising top security and cyber experts recommended that the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre be tasked with the responsibility and implementing a policy to deal with cyber terrorism.

“The issue of ethical hacking and immunity for defence and intelligence offices should be considered,” says 96-page report prepared under the supervision of Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis.

Observing that controlling and disturbing cyber systems shall form a critical component of any future warfare, the study has asked for creating a command and an appropriate interface between defence and civilian departments possibly under the National Security Advisor.

Like weather forecasting by Met department, an identical cyberspace situational awareness be crated to forecast risks, threats and vulnerabilities in cyberspace. It has also asked government to launch a national mission in cyber forensics to facilitate prosecution of cyber criminals and cyber terrorists.

Maintaining that issues of human rights and privacy should not lose sight, the report asks for monitoring social networking media. It also recommends making mandatory for all government organisations to have a designated chief information security officer, responsible for cyber security.