Empowering Cybersecurity: State Capacity Building Workshop for Uttarakhand’s Chief Information Security Officers

A three-day Cyber Security and Best Practices Workshop for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) of the Government of Uttarakhand is being held at the Civil Services Institute, Dehradun, from September 23-25, 2024 for 25 participants from 20+ state departments. The workshop is organized by the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA), Department of IT, Government of Uttarakhand, in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

The workshop was inaugurated by Smt. Nitika Khandelwal, IAS, Director, ITDA, who highlighted the critical role of cybersecurity in safeguarding the digital infrastructure and e-governance services of the state. She emphasized the importance of building capacity among government officers to address the evolving cyber threats faced by government departments.

NeGD’s Cybersecurity Training for CISOs

This training program is part of the State Capacity Building Series initiated by NeGD, aimed at enhancing cybersecurity preparedness and resilience among state government officials. It focuses on strengthening the cybersecurity posture of government departments by providing CISOs with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage and mitigate cyber risks effectively.

Program Overview:

The three-day workshop is designed to:

• Raise awareness on key cybersecurity issues, governance, and risk management frameworks.
• Equip participants with practical knowledge in network and cloud security, critical for securing state-level e-governance systems.
• Provide in-depth sessions on data protection, application security, and endpoint security, ensuring the safeguarding of sensitive information across government platforms.
• Train participants in developing and implementing Cyber Crisis Management Plans (CCMP), enabling departments to respond effectively to cybersecurity incidents.
• Address identity and access management challenges, enhancing the secure use of digital systems within government departments.

This hands-on, intensive training will equip over 25 participants from various departments with the tools to create a secure and resilient e-governance ecosystem.

Key Highlights:

• The workshop covers a wide array of cybersecurity topics, focusing on protecting critical government infrastructure and enhancing the cyber defense capabilities of state departments.
• Participants will receive guidance on adhering to national cybersecurity frameworks and standards, ensuring compliance with CERT-In guidelines and relevant legal frameworks.
• The training includes practical sessions aimed at improving the cybersecurity protocols and strategies adopted by government departments in Uttarakhand.

The workshop will continue over the next two days, with additional sessions on cybersecurity audits, data governance, and incident response frameworks, further strengthening the participants’ capacity to secure government systems.

This workshop marks an important step in building a robust cybersecurity framework for the Government of Uttarakhand. It is a part of NeGD’s ongoing efforts to enhance cybersecurity awareness and build capacities across state governments, contributing to the overall vision of a secure and digitally empowered India under the Digital India initiative.