National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre

National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre

Agency overview
Formed	16 Jan 2014
Headquarters	New Delhi, Delhi
Agency executive	Dr. Ajeet Bajpai, Director General
Website	http://www.nciipc.gov.in/

National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is an organisation of the Government of India created under Sec 70A ^[1] of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (amended 2008),^[2] through a gazette notification on 16th Jan 2014^[3] Based in New Delhi, India, it is designated as the National Nodal Agency in respect of Critical Information Infrastructure Protection.^[4]

The website of NCIIPC can be accessed at http://www.nciipc.gov.in

Critical Information Infrastructure

The Information Technology Act, 2000 defines Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) as “… those computer resource, the incapacitation or destruction of which, shall have debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety".^[5]

NCIIPC has broadly identified the following as ‘Critical Sectors’ :-

• Power & Energy
• Banking, Financial Services & Insurance
• Telecom
• Transport
• Government
• Strategic & Public Enterprises

^[6]

Vision

"To facilitate safe, secure and resilient Information Infrastructure for Critical Sectors of the Nation." ^[7]

Mission

"To take all necessary measures to facilitate protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, from unauthorized access, modification, use, disclosure, disruption, incapacitation or distraction through coherent coordination, synergy and raising information security awareness among all stakeholders. " ^[8]

Functions and Duties

• National nodal agency for all measures to protect nation's critical information infrastructure.
• Protect and deliver advice that aims to reduce the vulnerabilities of critical information infrastructure, against cyber terrorism, cyber warfare and other threats.
• Identification of all critical information infrastructure elements for approval by the appropriate Government for notifying the same.
• Provide strategic leadership and coherence across Government to respond to cyber security threats against the identified critical information infrastructure.
• Coordinate, share, monitor, collect, analyze and forecast, national level threat to CII for policy guidance, expertise sharing and situational awareness for early warning or alerts. The basic responsibility for protecting CII system shall lie with the agency running that CII.
• Assisting in the development of appropriate plans, adoption of standards, sharing of best practices and refinement of procurement processes in respect of protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• Evolving protection strategies, policies, vulnerability assessment and auditing methodologies and plans for their dissemination and implementation for protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• Undertaking research and development and allied activities, providing funding (including grants-in-aid) for creating, collaborating and development of innovative future technology for developing and enabling the growth of skills, working closely with wider public sector industries, academia et al and with international partners for protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• Developing or organising training and awareness programs as also nurturing and development of audit and certification agencies for protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• Developing and executing national and international cooperation strategies for protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• Issuing guidelines, advisories and vulnerability or audit notes etc. relating to protection of critical information infrastructure and practices, procedures, prevention and response in consultation with the stake holders, in close coordination with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and other organisations working in the field or related fields.
• Exchanging cyber incidents and other information relating to attacks and vulnerabilities with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and other concerned organisations in the field.
• In the event of any threat to critical information infrastructure the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre may call for information and give directions to the critical sectors or persons serving or having a critical impact on Critical Information Infrastructure.

Operations

• NCIIPC maintains a 24x7 Help Desk to facilitate reporting of incidents. Toll Free No. 1800-11-4430.
• Issues advisories or alerts and provide guidance and expertise-sharing in addressing the threats/vulnerabilities for protection of CII.
• In the event of a likely/actual national-level threat, it plays a pivotal role to coordinate the response of the various CII stake-holders in close cooperation with CERT-India.

References