Context:
CERT-In and Mastercard India recently signed a MoU to collaborate on enhancing financial cybersecurity.
Key Highlights
- CERT-In, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Mastercard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on various cybersecurity initiatives.
Key Objectives of the MoU
- Incident Response: Both entities will leverage their expertise to address cybersecurity incidents specific to the financial sector, and conduct advanced malware analysis.
- Capacity Building and Training: CERT-In and Mastercard will organize training programs and workshops to build cyber capacity, share the latest market trends, and implement best practices to strengthen the cybersecurity of financial sector organizations.
- Technical Information Exchange: They will exchange relevant cyber threat trends, technical information, threat intelligence, and vulnerability reports to bolster the financial sector’s information security.
Malware
short for malicious software, refers to any software specifically designed to harm, exploit, or compromise computer systems, networks, or data. Some common types of malware are:
- Viruses: These attach themselves to legitimate files and spread when the infected file is executed. Viruses can corrupt or delete data.
- Worms: Worms are self-replicating programs that spread across networks without user intervention. They can overload servers and cause network congestion.
- Trojans: Disguised as legitimate software, Trojans trick users into installing them. Once installed, they can steal sensitive information or create backdoors for attackers.
- Ransomware: This type of malware encrypts files on a victim’s system and demands a ransom for decryption. It can cause significant data loss.
About CERT-In
- The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is a government organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It was established in 2004.
- It is designated as the national agency for incident response under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
- CERT-In operates a 24/7 incident response Help Desk to provide timely responses to reported cyber security incidents. They provide incident prevention, response services, and security quality management services.
- CERT-In offers services to organizations across the Government, Public, and Private sectors, as well as to individuals and home users.
About Mastercard
- Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry, aiming to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy.
- They focus on making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible, leveraging secure data and networks.
- Mastercard supports individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses across more than 210 countries and territories, promoting sustainability and unlocking opportunities for all.