Cybersecurity in India: Get the ball rolling now to meet the nearing deadline!

In an increasingly interconnected world, cyber security regulations play a pivotal role in safeguarding digital assets and ensuring the integrity of critical systems. With the rise in cyber threats, governments around the globe have been implementing stringent measures to mitigate risks and enhance cyber resilience.

India has also prioritized cyber security through initiatives like the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) is a Centre under Department of Telecommunications (DoT) responsible for implementation of this ComSec scheme. The Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements (ITSAR) document is developed for every Telecom equipment which specifies the test requirements the products have to comply.

Currently there are 43 product ITSAR’s available in which 2 products – IP Router & WiFi CPE are notified under mandatory testing and security certification from 1^st July 2024 under Communication Security Certification (ComSeC) scheme of MTCTE. Click Here to view the complete list of ITSAR’s.

Testing can take up to 10 weeks for a Router and 8 weeks for a WiFi CPE.

The testing and certification date have been categorised as below –

1. For the products already certified for TEC (Technical) MTCTE – OEM’s may continue to import such equipment till 30th Sep, 2024. Any import of a telecom equipment beyond this date (i.e., w.e.f. 1st Oct, 2024), shall require mandatory security certification under applicable ITSAR.
2. For the products still not certified for TEC MTCTE – it is mandatory that the products have to be certified for both, technical (MTCTE) and security parameters w.e.f. 1st Jul, 2024.

Now if these mandated products (WiFI CPE & IP Router) are applied for NCCS Cybersecurity certification before the above 2 mandatory dates of their respective categories then it is considered as Voluntary Certification Scheme and the administration and evaluation fee will not be levied.

Testing can take up to 10 weeks for a Router and 8 weeks for a WiFi CPE

The following devices are covered under NCCS ComSec scheme under WiFi CPE: Wi-Fi Routers,

• Wi-Fi Modems,
• Broadband Modems with Wi-Fi facility,
• Cable Modems with Wi-Fi facility, FTTH ONTs with Wi-Fi facility,
• Wi-Fi Data cards which provide Wi-Fi facility with backend 2G / 3G / 4G