The Internet Society (ISOC) and Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake initiatives and activities to promote Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS) in India. MANRS is a programme whose primary objective is to reduce common threats to the Internet routing system.
The MoU is a step towards taking immediate action to improve the resilience and security of the routing infrastructure in India and keep the Internet safe for both business and consumers.
The MoU will help tackle the growing number of cyber-security incidents in India. According to India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), 44,679, 49,455 and 50,362 cyber-security incidents took place in India during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. These incidents include phishing, website intrusions and defacements, virus and denial of service attacks, amongst others. Routing security is vital to the future and stability of the Internet, and MANRS provides simple but concrete steps for network operators to dramatically improve Internet security and reliability.
MANRS is a community-driven initiative supported by the Internet Society, a global non-profit organisation that aims to ensure that the Internet continues to grow as a platform for innovation, economic development and social progress around the world.
'As per a survey conducted by ISOC, cyber-security is one of the top concerns for Internet users in the Asia Pacific region, and unsecure routing is one of the most common reasons for malicious threats. With the explosive growth of the Internet in India and the region, it is imperative that we work towards building secure routing infrastructure by adopting MANRS,' said Rajnesh Singh, Regional Bureau Director, Asia Pacific, ISOC.
As part of the MoU, both ISPAI and ISOC will focus on capacity building to undertake initiatives and activities to promote MANRS in India.
To support this initiative, ISOC conducted a 'Network Security' workshop during the inaugural India Network Operators Group meeting (INNOG). The MoU will also see both organisations exchanging research information and training materials related to routing security.
'The number of Internet users in India is skyrocketing, and it is expected to double by 2021. However, there are growing concerns over cyber-security and data security, and the recent malware threats have impacted many globally. The government is taking measures to spread awareness about cybercrime and building capacity for safety measures, and the adoption of MANRS and association with ISOC will help ensure a safer Internet for all,' added Rajesh Chharia, President, ISPAI.
