On Tuesday, at a meeting with National Security Secretariat (NSCS), domestic telecommunications manufacturers stressed that the current regime offers only one -time certification and limited sampling of the equipment to be obtained, without the ongoing or dynamic audit mechanism to verify and ensure the certified equipment. stated on the condition of anonymity. The meeting was attended by representatives of telecommunications operators, the Indian Association of Cell Operators (COAI) and officials of the Ministry of Telecommunications (DOT), including the parties.
The National Security Council Secretariat is a specialized unit that is a direct consultant for the National Security in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Indian trusted certification framework for telecommunications equipment requires that telecommunications services providers buy and deploy credible equipment from credible sources only in the interest of national security. Simply put, telecommunications equipment requires compulsory testing and certification before importing, selling or using in India. This ensures that the facility meets national and international safety standards, frequency emissions, network performance and national security. After sample collection, it is suppliers who then work for telecommunications operators and others to be used for network introduction and installed in consumer space.
Recently, the government has received complaints that the chips from undamaged sources were obtained by sellers with a credible certification of the source and delivered to telecommunications operators, one of the previously cited officials and added that any direction will come after the probe.
“Some concerns came with regard to the current trusted source framework. The same is being investigated,” the second clerk said, adding that the country’s test and certification infrastructure need to be strengthened.
Questions E -mail E -mail NSCS and Telecommunication Industrial Body of COAI remained unanswered until the press time.
The probe is carried out by the National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC), which works according to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSC), and coordinates with other national cyber security agencies and approves credible resources. The NSCS advises the Prime Minister’s office on matters of national security and strategic interest.
Telecommunications operators award the awarding of contracts to suppliers approved as a trusted company. These retailers will provide chips and other equipment from countries other than delivered to mobile service providers.
“There is currently no mechanism to check whether the equipment or chips supplied to the supplier with trusted source certifications are indeed from credible sources or not. There were cases where some sellers replaced chips, to reduce costs that are approved from government Tecom Tecom testom accepting LTD, STL LTD, VVDN and Tejas Networks.
According to Bhatnagar, the NCSC should perform regular audits of supplies obtained to the supplier and ask for evidence to ensure the country’s safety.
During the meeting, telecommunications operators also caused some administrative problems with the credible process of source certification. However, operators urged officials to eliminate the practice of testing equipment and systems for any update or renewal.
“Once a piece of equipment is already certified as trusted, we should not go through the entire test process for each small update or renewal. It causes delay and adds unnecessary paperwork,” said an executive who consulted telecommunications operators about the statemics state.
In March 2021, Dot changed the Unified Access Service license to avoid telecommunications operators from getting equipment from untrustworthy sellers. NCSC was entitled to approve credible resources and companies that can deliver devices. According to the telecommunications Act 2023, the government may issue instructions for the tap of telecommunications and services only from credible sources.
While India has not explicitly prevented from Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and ZTE, it has introduced measures that effectively exclude them from the country’s key telecommunications infrastructure and 5G deployment in concern for national security. Countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand have been limited or banned by Huawei and ZTE for concerns about national security related to potential espionage.
Governments are afraid that Chinese technology companies that are subject to national intelligence laws in Beijing could be forced to cooperate with the Chinese government by providing access to sensitive data or infrastructure.
“India has taken strong steps to ensure its telecommunications spine, but as global threats increase, we believe that policy must move from static certification to dynamic enforcement. Trusted status must not be a one -time activity, but a constant requirement to comply with the regulations. SWECOM on Sched-SHECTED) Sched-Schected) Sched-Shied) Sched-Schected) Schérita Schevo).
According to Prajapati, the gap between policy and enforcement remains on the basis, because there is no limited or no system review after certification to verify that the device deployed continues to correspond to a “trusted resource”.
“Once the certification is awarded, there is no certainty that subsequent batch or components have been changed or replaced intentionally or otherwise,” he said, adding that the audits should be ordered at the operator’s level.
On July 8, MINT announced that the government is ready to mark customer databases, routing systems, customer relationship management systems, submarine equipment and satellite tools as critical telecommunications infrastructure or honor.
The aim of honoring honor is to reduce the risk of data leakage, improve response to cyber threats and build more confidence in digital services. Once Telcos is announced, it must announce its network architecture, vulnerability details, risk analysis or risks and cyber crisis management. They will also have to share security audits and compliance reports under honor rules, 2024. Telcos must also keep records of where the device comes from and shares with the government when asked.
(Tagstotranslate) National Security Council Secretariat (T) Domestic Telecom Gear Manufacturers (T) Certification and Limited Sampling of Equipment (T) Dynamic Audit (T) Telecom Operators (T) Cellular Operators Association of India Telecommunications (T) National Security Adviser (T) PMO (T) National Security (T) Gear Meets National and International Standards for Safety (T) Radio Frequency Emissions (T) (T) Telecom Act 2023
