Chandigarh has been exploring the cyber security
aspects for long. Not very late, Chandigarh proposed power reform
programme to be implemented soon. It was proposed to use automated
systems through IT intervention for sustained collection of accurate
baseline data and automation of some electricity functions. However,
the proposal failed to consider the aspects pertaining to cyber
security of automated power grids of India.
For some strange reasons Indian government has been
ignoring
the cyber security implementations in India. These include cyber
security of power sector of India and cyber
protection of SCADA systems in India. In these circumstances, the
ambitious restructured accelerated power development and reform
programme (R-APDRP) of UT electricity department of Chandigarh was
too ambitious to be successfully implemented.
Recently, the websites of Chandigarh housing board
and estate office were defaced despite UT having a full-fledged IT
department. Reacting to these defacements, it has been decided to
replicate the cyber security model of UK. It has also been declared
that Chandigarh will have its own information security state policy
to tackle cyber crimes and it will be drafted by October.
According to Praveen Dalal, leading techno legal
expert of Asia and managing partner of ICT law firm Perry4Law,
replication and super imposing of foreign cyber security models in
India would be counter productive in the long run and they should be
avoided.
It is good that Chandigarh has shown interest in
cyber security but its efforts should not be misguided and based upon
wrong principles, models and premises. Let us hope Chandigarh in
general and Indian government in particular would consult Indian
techno legal experts while drafting such cyber security model.
