In a first-of-its-kind move, the Indian government's National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has started an initiative called Indian Citizens Assistance for Mobile Privacy and Security (I-CAMPS) to discover privacy and security issues in the mobile ecosystem.

The aim is to prevent cybercrimes related to weaknesses in the applications and device ecosystem. The project is likely to be completed over the next six to eight months.

The NSCS will create a mobile application and a portal to support people in mitigating the vulnerabilities in their devices because of pre-installed apps, operating system versions or any other problem. The I-CAMPS mobile app will provide curated information about the device and app vulnerabilities.

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Essentially, I-CAMPS will bring together all mobile security-related issues on one platform, making it easier for citizens to get the required information about problems. It also brings together industry stakeholders from service providers, mobile manufacturers and app developers.

Come together

As part of this initiative, the NSCS will work with several government departments, including the information technology and communications ministry, finance and home affairs, among others. In addition, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) will also work with stakeholders to ensure the timely execution of the project.

As the number of smartphone users grows in the country, new users face several problems. They are often unaware of the smartphone's different functionalities and security-related issues, making them vulnerable to cyberfraud. The I-CAMPS initiative will sensitize and educate people about mobile usage.

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The NSCS is also exploring the option of coming up with new standalone legislation on cybersecurity in the country in the wake of growing cybercrime across the world.

While there are some provisions for cybersecurity in the Information Technology law, India is yet to formulate a cybersecurity law.

Cybersecurity legislation is likely to define rules for new technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency. The policy is expected to address security concerns at individual and national levels.

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— Gagandeep Kaur, contributing editor, special to Light Reading