Regulatory sandbox, indigenous security ecosystem in MeitY plan – The Economic Times

The government is likely to prescribe a regulatory sandbox for the “functional security and validation” of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and work towards developing an “indigenous security ecosystem” for the cybersecurity of such devices.Additionally, it is also likely to push for the development of “indigenous tools for protecting and securing mobile apps”. For IoT devices, the IT ministry will also work with working groups to continuously update policies regarding the security of such devices.

“The advent of genAI (generative artificial intelligence) and widespread 5G coverage will see IoT devices becoming mainstream. It is therefore pertinent that we have a robust policy in place well in time,” a senior IT ministry official said.

These policy changes will be in line with the 10-year roadmap for various aspects of cryptography, quantum technologies, cyber forensics research and development, and mobile and IoT device security prepared by the ministry of electronics and information technology. ET has seen a copy of the new policy roadmap.

For mobile device security, the roadmap has also proposed the creation of a “government-level framework” to verify the authenticity of mobile applications.“Currently, most of the user-level mobile protection is reactive, which senses and thwarts a threat as and when that threat approaches the devices. Protection against malware has to move to detection and anticipatory levels with the help of AI and ML. That ecosystem will have startups, R&D labs, OEMs, academia and bigger industry players,” the official said.

Similarly, for cryptography, the IT ministry wants to push for the indigenisation of all cryptographic solutions, protocols and schemes, and look at the development of resilient cryptography-based critical infrastructures for IoT environments.

As a part of the roadmap for quantum computing though the IT ministry has made efforts to augment its semiconductor design and research space, government-run institutes such as the SCL in Mohali may also be entrusted with the development of superconducting materials, which can be of help in furthering the limits of quantum and super computing, the policy roadmap states.

To augment its cyber forensics capacities, the IT ministry plans to conduct routine analysis of the dark web and develop software and apps for advanced detection of child exploitation content. The roadmap also envisages checking for human trafficking networks and drug sales through internet-based intermediaries.