Cyber Security And International Cooperation

Cyber attacks are global in nature as they are designed like that only. Initially, cyber attacks were conducted more on the side of fun but now they have become weapons of trans border crimes. Countries have also realised the potential of a covert cyber attacks to gain strategic and sensitive information from a country of interest. In this entire scenario we have no international legal issues of cyber attacks that can govern the position at the international level.

Naturally, countries across the world are required to manage international cyber threats at the national level. This is not a very fruitful exercise but it gives a psychological boost to the nations that their cyberspace and critical infrastructures are safe from external cyber attacks. India is also following the national cyber security approach to international cyber security threats.

The cyber security breaches in India would raise serious cyber security issues in the near future. In order to effectively analyse and prevent future cyber attacks, companies and individuals must adopt suitable cyber security breach notification to appropriate cyber authorities of India. Sophisticated malware like Stuxnet, Duqu, Flame, Uroburos/Snake, etc cannot be tackled with normal cyber security products.  We need dedicated cyber security workforce which is well trained in this regard as indicated by the cyber security trends and developments of India 2013.

India has announced few cyber security initiatives to strengthen its cyber security capabilities. These include a cyber command, critical infrastructure protection, cyber crisis management plan, national cyber security coordination centre (NCCC), thermal power cyber security proposal, national security policy of India, tri service cyber command, national cyber security policy of India 2013, etc. However, according to techno legal experts, implementation of these proposals is still a big challenge for the Indian government. Further, a robust cyber security law of India is also required to be formulated by India as soon as possible.

Cyberspace stakeholders must understand that cyber security is an international issue (PDF) and not a national one. Therefore, an international cyber security treaty is required (PDF). In the absence of such globally acceptable cyber security treaty, the conflict of laws in cyberspace would continue to make the things difficult. Of course, India is not at all prepared to meet the future cyber security threats and challenges with the present framework and policies.