Section 70B of ITA, 2000 : Section 70B: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team To Serve As National Agency For Incident Response

Explanation using Example

Let's consider a hypothetical scenario to illustrate the application of Section 70B of The Information Technology Act, 2000:

Suppose a major Indian e-commerce company, 'EcomIndia', is hit by a massive cyber-attack causing a data breach. The cyber-attack results in the theft of sensitive customer data, including credit card details, addresses, and personal identification information. Upon discovering the attack, EcomIndia is obliged to report the incident to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the national agency for incident response as per sub-section (1) and (4).

CERT-In, under its mandate, begins to investigate the incident. It collects and analyzes information about the cyber-attack, issues an alert about the incident to other potential targets, and coordinates emergency measures to handle the situation. It also issues guidelines and advisories to EcomIndia and other similar companies on how to prevent such incidents in the future.

If EcomIndia, or any other entity involved, fails to provide the necessary information to CERT-In or comply with its directions, they could face legal consequences as per sub-section (6) and (7). The penalties could include imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both.

However, any legal proceedings under this section can only be initiated based on a complaint made by an officer authorized by CERT-In, as stated in sub-section (8).