The GCA Index provides a centralised platform for individuals and organisations to identify relevant and reliable cybersecurity solutions. It further empowers them in informed decision-making and encourages them to proactively implement cybersecurity measures.
“India has been successfully ranked at the 10th position since 2021, however, with the Global Cybersecurity Association (GCA) coming into place, we further expect to better our rank. To do this, we need to address the critical issue of managing the interface of IT and OT in the near future,” said Gulshan Rai, Former National Cybersecurity Coordinator and Former DG, CERT-In.
Rai added that if we do not act now, then we will not be able to manage the ever-burgeoning cyber threats. “This is a collective responsibility, and GCA will be the guiding light for the government and citizens together, making India cyber secure. The launch of the ‘GCA Index’ marks the first step towards us becoming cybersecure.”
The body aims to be India’s prominent cybersecurity advocate by offering reliable resources to individuals and organisations on all aspects of cybersecurity threats and combating them through various tools. GCA intends to empower individuals and companies to navigate effortlessly through the complexities of digital security.
According to Rajeev Bhadauria, Advisor, Reliance ADA Group, GCA comes in at the right time to fight against a god-like technology with wisdom and prudence. “ Cybersecurity is not something new, and we have had plenty of developments; currently, we are looking at the advent of Gen-AI, and the threat has become bigger,” said Bhadauria.
Meanwhile, Manoj Bhale, President of the Global Cybersecurity Association, said that building a secure digital India demands collective experience and action. Bhale believes that through accessible resources, collaborative forums, and the GCA Index, we can strive to equip stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to combat cyber threats head-on.
The applications for the GCA Index are now open and the first listing is set to be announced in August 2024. The body is inviting cybersecurity products, solutions, and service organisations to be a part of the initiative. Reportedly, CERT-in handled 13,91,457 incidents of cybercrime in India in 2022 in India. The incidents included website intrusion & malware propagation, malicious code, phishing, distributed denial of service attacks, unauthorised network scanning, probing activities, ransomware attacks, data breach, etc. Amid the rising instances of cyber crime, the non-profit body believes that GCA index may help in reducing cybercrime in India.
