Kaspersky and CERT-In announce strategic partnership for improving Mutual Cyber-Security Capabilities

On 22nd October 2020, Kaspersky signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India for collaboration in the area of cyber security.

Through this MoU Kaspersky and CERT-In will work together for building a cooperative relationship and facilitate the fulfillment of mutual goals for creating a safe & secure cyber space in the country.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, governments, businesses, and consumers are increasingly faced with a variety of sophisticated cyber threats. Hence, there is an ever-increasing need for cyber-security experts and government bodies to join forces in order to combat such threats effectively. Both CERT-In and Kaspersky have been constantly striving to enhance the overall security of the computing environment through their commitment to security, privacy protection, reliability, incident response, and integrity.Both the entities have been able to accurately recognize the adversaries in the cyber space and through this cooperative partnership, Kaspersky’s expertise and access to global data on evolving threat landscapes will support the activities of CERT-In for cyber incident management & critical information protection, capacity building and enhancing users trust in digital technologies.

This MoU would facilitate cooperation for detection of latest cyber security threats that can adversely affect the information assets and privacy of the general users in the country and devise appropriate security measures to enable such users to secure their systems. The primary activities entailed via this MOU include:

• Sharing of relevant technical information, threat intelligence, and data feeds by Kaspersky with CERT-In in order to enhance information security in India.
• Providing expert support and technical exchange such as cyber security incident reporting, incident analysis and response, cyber security audit, and malware analysis.
• Execution of training programs within the framework of Kaspersky Global Transparency Initiative such as Code Review and Assessment Training.
• Execution of joint projects such as supporting awareness initiatives undertaken by CERT-In in India and partnering with Kaspersky Innovative Arm (Kaspersky iHub) through mentorship and accelerator programs for supporting Indian start-ups with innovative cyber security projects.

Genie Gan, Head of Public Affairs for Asia Pacific, Kaspersky said, “This MOU is a stepping- stone toward the much-needed collaboration between two crucial entities in the field of cyber security. Considering the complex nature of cyber threats that we are encountering in today’s world, such a strategic partnership between Kaspersky and CERT-In is not only necessary but also inevitable.”

Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director-General, CERT-In said, “As the complexity, frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks continues to increase, the pandemic has amply highlighted that we are codependent, interconnected & vulnerable. Our partnership with Kaspersky will help towards creating a robust, safe, secure and resilient digital economy in a vibrant digital India”.