The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed all central ministries, state governments, Union Territories and financial regulators to immediately strengthen their cybersecurity measures in response to the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence-powered cyberattacks.
In a letter dated June 10, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan highlighted that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, including generative AI, large language models (LLMs), autonomous agents and AI-based automation tools, are transforming the cybersecurity landscape and creating new risks for digital infrastructure.
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The ministry has asked organisations to implement the recommendations outlined in the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team’s (CERT-In) blueprint for defending against AI-assisted cyber vulnerabilities. The document recommends continuous monitoring of digital systems, proactive exposure management and faster identification and containment of cyber threats instead of relying solely on periodic security assessments.
MeitY has also instructed authorities to circulate CERT-In’s newly released cybersecurity guidelines among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technology vendors. The guidelines call on companies to routinely assess products for security weaknesses, maintain updated software bill of materials (SBOMs), promptly disclose critical vulnerabilities and release security patches without delay.
Additionally, organisations have been advised to fix vulnerabilities affecting internet-facing and critical systems within 12 hours wherever feasible, while other serious externally exposed flaws should be addressed within one day.
The government believes these measures will strengthen India’s digital infrastructure and improve preparedness against increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled cyber threats while promoting better security standards across technology providers and public institutions.
