India’s New Cyber Commandos: A Step Towards Enhanced Cybersecurity
In response to increasing cyber threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in India has announced the creation of a Special Wing of Cyber Commandos. This decision follows a series of over 100 hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines, causing significant disruption and financial loss. These threats were primarily posted on social media using anonymous accounts, making them difficult to trace.
Formation of Cyber Commandos
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has initiated this move to bolster cyber defense capabilities. During conferences held in January 2023 and 2024, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for a specialized cyber security force within the police. The MHA aims to recruit 5,000 Cyber Commandos over the next five years, selecting candidates from existing police personnel with basic computer knowledge.
Training and Deployment
The first group of 246 Cyber Commandos is currently undergoing a six-month intensive training program at prestigious institutions like IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, and others. The training includes hands-on experience, industry exposure, and field visits to prepare them for cybersecurity challenges. A screening test conducted in February 2024 selected these trainees, and a second test is scheduled for December 2024 to recruit more commandos.
These Cyber Commandos will serve their respective police organizations, focusing on digital forensics, incident response, and securing information technology infrastructure. The MHA will coordinate with them for continuous learning and to address cyber threats effectively.
Doubts Revealed
Cyber Commandos -: Cyber Commandos are specially trained people who protect computers and networks from bad activities like hacking. They are like digital soldiers who keep our online world safe.
Ministry of Home Affairs -: The Ministry of Home Affairs is a part of the Indian government that looks after the country’s internal security. They make sure that people in India are safe from threats inside the country.
Hoax bomb threats -: Hoax bomb threats are fake warnings about bombs that are not real. They can cause panic and disrupt normal activities, like flights, even though there is no actual danger.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre -: The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre is a government body that helps fight cyber crimes in India. They work to make the internet a safer place for everyone.
Digital forensics -: Digital forensics is like detective work for computers. It involves finding and analyzing evidence from digital devices to solve crimes.
Incident response -: Incident response is the process of dealing with cyber attacks or security breaches. It involves identifying, managing, and fixing the problem to prevent further damage.
MHA -: MHA stands for the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is responsible for maintaining internal security and domestic policy in India.