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Cyber security and data protection

Cyber security and data protection: how attacks work, including those on artificial intelligence systems and critical infrastructure, cyber crime, the agencies that respond, and the law that protects personal data. It serves GS3 answers on cyber security.

Showing 2 of 4 subjects, those that changed from 16 to 31 July 2026.Show all

CERT-In and AI driven threats

Prelims and Mains

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is the national agency for cyber incidents, and its guidelines require equipment makers and providers to use artificial intelligence in testing, monitoring and patching against attackers who work at machine speed.

What changed

30 Jul 2026New subject
- Guidelines of June 2026 from the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team require equipment makers and technology providers to use AI assisted security testing, monitoring and patching.
- The second threat report for banking and payments names AI asymmetry as the defining risk: work that once needed specialist teams is now done at machine speed by attackers with few resources.
PIB, 30 Jul 2026: CERT-In Conducts 10 Cyber Security Exercises on AI-Driven Cyber Threats with 1,470 Participants from 345 Government and Private Organisations (opens in a new tab) · PIB, 13 Jul 2026: Report Highlights AI Asymmetry and Emerging Cyber Trends to Strengthen Security and Resilience in India's BFSI and Payments Ecosystem (opens in a new tab)

Sanchar Saathi, ASTR and Chakshu

Prelims

Sanchar Saathi is the Department of Telecommunications portal against telecom fraud, ASTR is its artificial intelligence tool for finding suspicious connections, and Chakshu is its channel for citizens to report fraud calls and messages.

What changed

23 Jul 2026New subject
- ASTR, an AI tool of the Department of Telecommunications, flags suspicious mobile connections, and more than 88 lakh have been disconnected after failing fresh verification.
- Chakshu lets citizens report suspected fraud calls and messages on the Sanchar Saathi portal, and 11.18 lakh reports have led to 50.90 lakh disconnections.
PIB, 23 Jul 2026: Measures Taken to Tackle Cyber Frauds (opens in a new tab)

Also filed elsewhere

C-DOT quantum security products · on Quantum science and technology
A quantum computer able to break today's encryption does not exist yet, but traffic recorded today can be kept and read once one does.