---
title: "Cyber-Security, Space Economy & Dual-Use Tech: GS-3"
description: "Cyber-security architecture, the commercial space economy and dual-use technology controls anchor UPSC GS-3. Study named statutes, agencies and instances for"
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-science-technology-cyber-security-the-space-economy-dual-use-technology"
---

[New](https://modeldiplomat.com/)

Cyber-security, the space economy & dual-use technology

Read 1 of 3

1/70 XP so far this lesson

Lesson 18 min 20 XP

# Cyber-security, the space economy & dual-use technology

Cyber-security architecture, the commercialised space economy and dual-use technology controls for UPSC GS-3, with named statutes, agencies and dated instances.

## The threat landscape and India's institutional response

Cyber-security is a GS-3 staple because it sits at the intersection of internal security, economy and technology. India is among the most-targeted nations globally; CERT-In (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), established under **Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000**, is the national nodal agency for incident response. In April 2022 CERT-In issued directions requiring entities to report specified cyber incidents within **six hours** of detection and to retain logs for **180 days**, a high-yield fact for Prelims.

The statutory backbone is the **IT Act, 2000** (amended 2008, which inserted Section 66F on cyber-terrorism and Section 43A on data protection). Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)—systems whose incapacitation would debilitate national security—is protected under **Section 70**, with the **National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC)** designated as nodal agency under the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).

## The coordinating layer

The **National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC)** sits in the National Security Council Secretariat and coordinates across agencies. The **Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)** under the Ministry of Home Affairs runs the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the citizen helpline **1930**. The **Defence Cyber Agency**, operational since 2019, handles military cyber operations as a tri-service body.

For data governance, the **Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023** replaced the Section 43A regime, creating obligations on Data Fiduciaries and a Data Protection Board; its enforcement rules were under finalisation through 2024–25. Candidates must distinguish the DPDP Act (privacy) from CERT-In directions (incident response) and from the NCIIPC mandate (infrastructure).

## Dated instances to retain

Name concrete cases in answers. The **2017 WannaCry** ransomware affected systems globally including in India. In **October 2019**, malware (later attributed to North Korea-linked actors) was detected on the administrative network of the **Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant**, illustrating CII vulnerability. In **October 2020**, a grid disturbance in Mumbai prompted scrutiny of possible cyber intrusion into power infrastructure. The **AIIMS Delhi ransomware attack of November 2022** crippled hospital services for days, demonstrating healthcare-sector exposure. India's evolving posture is captured in the **National Cyber Security Policy, 2013**, with a successor National Cyber Security Strategy long anticipated.

The exam rewards the ability to connect supply-chain risk (telecom equipment, the 2021 'trusted source' regime for telecom under the National Security Directive on the Telecommunication Sector) to strategic autonomy. Note also the **Telecommunications Act, 2023**, which modernised the colonial-era framework and addresses interception and security of networks. A precise answer names the statute, the section and the year—never a vague reference to 'cyber laws'.

One question, then back to the lesson

Ask about this lesson