Frequently asked questions
Bharat NCX (National Cybersecurity Exercise) is a premier cybersecurity initiative led by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) of India. This large-scale exercise is designed to enhance the nation's cyber defence capabilities by simulating sophisticated cyberattack scenarios. The event brings together key stakeholders, including government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, defence sectors, and private enterprises, to assess, train, and strengthen their incident response and coordination mechanisms.
Bharat NCX fosters a collaborative environment where participants can test their resilience, identify vulnerabilities, and refine strategies to mitigate cyber threats effectively. Through comprehensive training sessions, live-fire exercises, and strategic decision-making simulations, the initiative aims to fortify India's cybersecurity posture and build a more resilient digital ecosystem capable of responding to evolving cyber challenges.
The objectives of Bharat NCX are:
Enhance National Cyber Defense: Boost the readiness of government agencies, critical infrastructure, and defence sectors against cyber threats.
Simulate Real-World Cyberattacks: Test and improve response capabilities through realistic scenarios.
Identify Vulnerabilities: Detect and address weaknesses in existing cybersecurity systems.
Refine Incident Response: Strengthen response protocols for swift and coordinated action.
Foster Collaboration: Promote seamless interagency communication and cooperation.
Raise Cybersecurity Awareness: Emphasise best practices and foster a culture of vigilance.
Support Strategic Planning: Enable decision-makers to develop effective response strategies.
Bharat NCX 2024 is meticulously designed to build and enhance a diverse cadre of cyber defenders and cyber attackers from various sectors of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). The exercise aims to fortify the nation's defences against a broad spectrum of cyber threats, including ransomware, phishing, DDoS attacks, and sophisticated incursions by nation-state actors. By simulating real-world scenarios, the event emphasises the strategic development of skills across both offensive and defensive cybersecurity domains. Furthermore, the exercise underscores the importance of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), addressing the legal frameworks essential to managing cyber crises. This comprehensive approach is intended to create a robust, proactive, and unified cybersecurity ecosystem that will safeguard the nation's digital infrastructure and maintain national security in an increasingly complex cyber landscape.
A cyber exercise is a meticulously crafted simulation aimed at evaluating the readiness, strategic responses, and operational capabilities of organisations and individuals against potential cyber incidents. These exercises replicate real-world cyber-attack scenarios, enabling participants to identify vulnerabilities, refine their defence mechanisms, and bolster overall cyber resilience.
A cyber range is a sophisticated, virtual training environment designed for developing and testing cybersecurity expertise. It offers a secure platform where professionals and teams can practise defensive and offensive techniques, simulate threat scenarios, and improve response strategies without endangering live systems.
A live-fire exercise represents an advanced form of simulation where participants engage in authentic, high-pressure cyberattack scenarios. It involves coordinated efforts by both offensive and defensive teams, mirroring real-time attacks and defence responses. This exercise provides invaluable, hands-on experience in managing and mitigating complex cyber incidents.
The Blue Team comprises cybersecurity defenders who are tasked with safeguarding an organisation's network and digital assets. Their role encompasses monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and implementing strategies to maintain system integrity and mitigate potential breaches.
The Red Team operates as the adversarial force within a cybersecurity exercise, emulating the tactics and techniques of real-world attackers to challenge the defensive measures in place. By identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities, the Red Team tests the resilience and efficacy of the Blue Team's security protocols.
The Green Team serves a facilitative and educational purpose during cybersecurity training. They ensure the training environment is optimised, provide necessary resources to both Red and Blue Teams, and foster collaboration. Their role may also include guiding interactions to enhance the overall learning experience for participants.
The primary focus of Bharat NCX 2024 is to elevate cybersecurity awareness and cultivate a formidable team of strategic cyber defenders. The exercise aims to prepare the nation for cyber resilience by addressing new-age cyber threats. Additionally, it emphasises the development of robust governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) protocols, as well as exploring the legal frameworks necessary for effective cyber incident response. Through these comprehensive efforts, Bharat NCX 2024 seeks to fortify national defences and safeguard critical infrastructure.
Bharat NCX 2024 will commence from November 18th to November 29th, 2024, featuring an extensive lineup of training programs and exercises that will be conducted at Scope Complex, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Marg, CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi, Delhi 110003.
To ensure optimal performance during the Bharat NCX 2024 exercise, the following minimum system specifications are required:
-Operating System:MS Windows 10/11 x64 (recommended: Windows 11 x64) / Linux / Mac
-CPU: Intel i5 (recommended: Intel i7)
-Storage: 500 GB HDD (recommended: 1TB SSD)
-RAM: 8GB DDR4 (recommended: 16GB DDR4)
-Network Interface: RJ45 10/100 (recommended: RJ45 100/1000, or equivalent adapter)
-These specifications will help ensure a seamless and practical experience during the event.
STRATEX (Strategic Decision-Making Exercise) is a high-level, scenario-driven exercise designed to simulate real-world crisis situations that require strategic decision-making. During STRATEX, senior decision-makers and executives are presented with complex, evolving challenges that mimic the dynamics of cyber threats and security crises. The exercise aims to test and refine the participants' abilities to make timely, informed decisions under pressure, coordinate across different teams and sectors, and align their strategies with the broader goals of national security and cyber resilience.
STRATEX typically involves role-playing where participants must respond to simulated cyber incidents, manage the consequences, and ensure effective communication and resource allocation. It is a key component of exercises like Bharat NCX 2024, where the focus is on enhancing leadership, coordination, and strategic thinking in cyber defence.
The CISO's Conclave is an exclusive gathering of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and senior cybersecurity leaders. It is a platform for discussing emerging cyber threats, best practices, and strategies to safeguard critical infrastructure. The conclave promotes collaboration and strengthens cybersecurity leadership, focusing on the evolving role of CISOs and advancing national cybersecurity goals during Bharat NCX 2024.
Bharat NCX enhances national cybersecurity by preparing critical sectors and government agencies to respond effectively to cyber threats. Through realistic incident simulations, participants develop practical risk assessment and incident management skills while promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors. This alignment with government policies strengthens the resilience of national infrastructure against digital threats.
