Cert-In faces staffing shortages hindering ransomware response

The Indian ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) has expressed that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In) is facing staffing shortages that hinder its ability to combat ransomware attacks. In a report to a parliamentary committee, Meity stated that more manpower is needed to effectively respond to cyber incidents and enhance preventive measures. Cert-In requires additional staff to gather intelligence on cyber threats, analyze security audits, conduct training, and stay updated on emerging technologies like AI and cloud computing. The ministry has proposed creating more job positions and has resubmitted this request for approval. Funding for Cert-In has increased slightly from ₹241 crore to ₹255 crore in the recent budget, but the organization consistently utilizes over 90% of its allocated budget. In contrast, expenditures on other cybersecurity projects, such as the National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC), have fluctuated significantly over the past few years. NCCC works to monitor internet traffic for security threats and integrate more sites into its system, though progress has been slow due to dependencies on other organizations. In a budget shift, funding for cybersecurity projects has risen from ₹322 crore to ₹590 crore in the fiscal year 2026. On another note, the committee has raised concerns about decreased funding for the National Informatics Centre, asking how it will continue to support e-governance and ICT infrastructure. They emphasized that lower budgets should not impact the center's responsibilities. Despite underutilization of funds across several initiatives, MeitY has proposed substantial increases in budget allocations for key schemes, including those related to semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Moreover, the committee has recommended establishing a dedicated IT cadre to better manage digital initiatives and enhance the government's technology capabilities.