India launches Anti-Cyber-Terrorism Unit to tackle rising cyberattacks

Critical cyberattacks on India’s sensitive digital infrastructure will now be investigated by a specialised unit, the Anti-Cyber-Terrorism Unit (ACTU), within the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The formation of the unit, which was initiated last year, aims to handle such cases, exploring the potential terrorist or state actors involved.

Insiders familiar with the development stated that this decision would streamline the investigation process, curbing duplication of work across various agencies. They added that the newly formed unit would employ highly skilled professionals for identifying and countering cyberattacks. The NIA also holds the authority to investigate such cyber-terror events on foreign territories, easing the information-gathering process via coordination with overseas law enforcement units.

Persistent cyber-attacks on India’s critical installations from suspected China and Pakistan-backed hackers have underscored the necessity of a dedicated investigative unit. These digital assaults have ranged across sectors, from defence and power grids to health care institutions and banking. Examples include the strike on the servers of All India Institute of Medical Science last year, allegedly by China-backed hackers, and cyber attacks on seven power grid hubs in northern India in April.

Increasing attempts to compromise essential information and financial systems have raised nationwide concern, as revealed by Home Minister Amit Shah. Such activities bear a direct impact on national security, socio-economic stability, and maintaining law and order.

India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) reported a total of 112,474 cybersecurity incidents relating to government bodies and systems through June 2023, a significant increase from 70,798 in 2018. In 2022, the figure spiked to 192,439 such incidents. However, not every incident was linked to cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure.

The National Cyber Security Coordinator, under the National Security Council Secretariat, coordinates at a national level on cyber security with different agencies. In contrast, CERT-In functions as the national agency responding to cybersecurity incidents. They operate a cyber threat exchange platform for proactively gathering, analysing, and sharing customised alerts with different sectors for effective threat mitigation.

The Home Minister also acknowledged the various forms of cybercrimes prevalent, from ransomware attacks and personal data sale to online harassment, child abuse, and spread of false information. According to him, tackling these crimes requires transcending traditional geographical boundaries. The advent of ACTU is seen as a decisive step to identify these criminals and tackle cybercrime decisively.