To Strengthen Cooperation on Cybercrime, India and the US Sign an MOU
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been struck by the US and India to strengthen collaboration in cybercrime investigations. The MoU would enable the two nations to "step up" collaboration and training with relation to employing digital forensics and cyber threat intelligence for criminal investigations, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry (MEA). The home ministry and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) would be in charge of carrying out the Memorandum of Understanding on the Indian side. Conversely, the US side's nodal agency will be the Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Centre, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security.
Further Strengthening India-US Ties
The security issues that India and the US share, including terrorism and violent extremism, financing of terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime, human trafficking, illegal migration, money laundering, and transportation security, are intricately linked to cybercrime. "As part of our comprehensive and global strategic partnership, the MoU on cybercrime investigations will enable further strengthening of India-US security cooperation," the MEA's official statement stated. On January 17, Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra and Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo signed the agreement in Washington, DC.
The action is anticipated to promote cybersecurity cooperation between the two countries, facilitate information exchange, and open the door for prompt inquiry in such situations. This comes days after the US, Japan, and South Korean governments jointly said that state-backed North Korean hackers were responsible for the $235 million hack at the Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX last year. Additionally, the development coincides with an increasing number of cyberattacks targeting Indian organisations and entities. In 2024, India became the second most targeted country in the world for cyberattacks, after the United States.
Great Surge in Cyber Attacks in 2024: Prahar’s Report
Across the first quarter of 2024, there were 500 million cyberattacks across the nation, according to a report by the nonprofit Prahar. In the second quarter of last year, there were about 750 million more attacks. AI and ML techniques have made cyber dangers worse by teaching machines to automate and improve hacks, making them more difficult to detect. Last year, there were several significant cyberattacks in India, including those at the state-run telecom company BSNL (278 GB of private user data was exposed), the broking platform Angel One (personal data of 7.9 million consumers was exposed), and WazirX (which affected 15 million users).
The signing coincides with a change in leadership in the United States, making it a pivotal time. The signing of this agreement by the Biden administration demonstrates the growing significance of international cooperation in cybercrime investigations.
Nitin Konde
