Comply with rules or exit from India, govt tells VPN service providers


PTI, May 18, 2022, 8:43 PM IST

Representative Image

Virtual private network service providers that are not ready to comply with the new guidelines have the only option to exit from India, minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Wednesday.

The minister, while releasing FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the recent directive on reporting of cyber breach incidents, said that every well-meaning company or entity understands that a safe and trusted internet is going to help it.

”There is no opportunity for somebody to say we will not follow the rules and laws of India. If you don’t have the logs, start maintaining the logs. If you are a VPN that wants to hide and be anonymous about those who use its VPN and you don’t want to go by these rules, if you want to pull out, then frankly you have no other opportunity but to pull out,” he said.

The ministry of electronics and IT has mandated cloud service providers, VPN (Virtual Private Network) firms, data centre companies and virtual private server providers to store users’ data for at least five years.

Some of the VPN companies have claimed that the new rule may lead to cyber security loopholes in the system — an argument which was rejected by the minister. Chandrasekhar said that the government is also not going to make any change in the rules on mandating entities to report cyber breach in their system within six hours of learning about it.

”The criminality and the cyber incidence, nature, type, shape, form of it are very complex. They have very sinister elements behind it. There are many state actors that are using vulnerability. Those who commit these breaches can move on very quickly. Immediate reporting is fundamental to investigating, forensic analysis, situational awareness of the nature of the incident,” he said.

US-based technology industry body ITI, having global tech firms such as Google, Facebook, IBM and Cisco as its members, has sought a revision in the Indian government’s directive on reporting of cyber security breach incidents.

ITI said that the provisions under the new mandate may adversely impact organisations and undermine cyber security in the country.

The industry body has asked for a wider stakeholder consultation with the industry before finalising on the directive.

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on April 28, issued a directive asking all government and private agencies, including internet service providers, social media platforms and data centres, to mandatorily report cyber security breach incidents to it within six hours of noticing them.

The new circular issued by the CERT-In mandates all service providers, intermediaries, data centres, corporates and government organisations to mandatorily enable logs of all their ICT (Information and Communication Technology) systems and maintain them securely for a rolling period of 180 days, and the same shall be maintained within the Indian jurisdiction.

ITI has raised concerns over the mandatory reporting of breach incidents within six hours of noticing, to enable logs of all ICT systems and maintain them within Indian jurisdiction for 180 days, the overbroad definition of reportable incidents and the requirement that companies connect to the servers of Indian government entities.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

10 month baby gets new heart, new life

Actress Kasthuri released from jail, says ‘I thank those who made me raging storm’

Kidnapped for ransom in 1998, 26/11 survivor Gautam Adani faces biggest trial

100 engineering colleges in Karnataka to be ‘adopted’ by corporates by next year: IT Minister Kharge

Siddaramaiah defends BPL ration card cancellation, says only ineligible beneficiaries affected

China announces new policy measures to protect its exports from Trump’s new tariff threat

Renovated Medical Oncology OPD and Chemotherapy Day Care Centre inaugurated at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal

Related Articles More

BTS2024: If India can make rocket sensors, it can also make car sensors, says ISRO chief Somanath

World COPD Day: Know your lung function

SpaceX successfully launches ISRO’s 4,700 kg communication satellite from US

As AI and megaplatforms take over, the hyperlinks that built the web may face extinction

Plastic waste could double by 2050, researchers find, suggest policies to address issue

MUST WATCH

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing

DK Shivakumar

Rose Cultivation

Geethotsava

Naxal Operation


Latest Additions

‘Bengaluru Chalo’ protest demand rejection of Kasturirangan Report

Mangaluru: Cyber frauds posing as TRAI representatives fleece Rs 1.71 crore

10 month baby gets new heart, new life

Saura Swasthya launched: Karnataka to power 5,000 health facilities with solar energy

India-US ties have strong foundation: White House confident in navigating crisis over Adani bribery charges

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.