Global Cybersecurity Index [GCI] by ITU

The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), benchmarks countries' commitment to cybersecurity globally. It serves as a trusted reference, promoting awareness and understanding of cybersecurity's significance and dimensions.

Global Cybersecurity Index - India's Rank & Cybersecurity

• India advanced 37 positions on important cybersafety metrics to land in $10^{th}$ place in the ITU's Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020 ahead of the sixth anniversary of Digital India (1 July 2021).
• India was ranked fourth in the Asia Pacific area, demonstrating its dedication to cybersecurity.
• China and Pakistan, which are neighbors, were ranked 33 and 79, respectively.
• The outcome demonstrates a significant overall strengthening and improvement across all cybersecurity-related metrics.
• With strong steps to protect data privacy and citizen online rights, India is establishing itself as a global IT giant, claiming its digital sovereignty.
• The following picture displays India's standing and scores according to the many criteria used to calculate the Global Cybersecurity Index:

Global Cybersecurity Index [GCI] Key Highlights

• The ranking was officially introduced on June 29, 2021.
• Overall, the United States of America received a score of 100 in GCI 2020, placing it in first place.
• The last on the list are: Equatorial Guinea ranked 180 the list, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ranked $181^{st}$, and Micronesia, the Vatican, and Yemen ranked $182^{nd}$.
• Denmark is regarded as having the most robust cybersecurity infrastructure among all nations. With a cybersecurity score of 8.91, the government is performing rather well on the cybersecurity exposure index.
• China is said to have the strongest cyber defense capabilities, followed by the United States, Israel, the Netherlands, France, Canada, and the UK. Russia is recognized as the largest short-term danger to cyber security. However, other analysts believe that China will prove to be more dangerous and dangerous in the long term.
• India was one of the top 3 countries that during the pandemic experienced risky server access and ransomware attacks.
• The top 5 nations on the GCI list are:
  1. The United States of America.
  2. Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom
  3. Estonia.
  4. Spain, Singapore, and South Korea.
  5. Russia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Global Cybersecurity Index [GCI] - Region-Wise Top Countries

Challenges to Cybersecurity

• Digital divides between nations lead to an unsustainable online ecosystem.
• The post-COVID era's growing reliance on digital technology has shown digital inequalities that must be eliminated through strengthening capability.
• Terrorists employ advanced methods to spread their message and stir up hatred in cyberspace.
• The use of cybersecurity tools to strengthen a complicated security environment, is entirely vulnerable to human mistakes. Due to a lack of domestic development in cybersecurity hardware and software, organizations are exposed to cyberattacks.
• The business's commitment to protecting devices, data, and information is the most important factor.