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DoS - CSITE Cell

Enlarging the scope of CDF to facilitate NABARD SEs in cybersecurity

augmentation

CSITE Cell has written IDM No. 944 dated 15 June 2022 and 2090 dated 19 Aug
2022 requesting IDD to consider devising a scheme for grant support to
cooperative banks for acquisition of VA/PT tools under Cooperative Development
Fund (CDF) (copy enclosed).

2. CSITE Cell has also written to IDD and DFIBT vide IDM No. 4758 dated 14
Nov 2022 to devise a suitable grant based scheme to support RRBs and RCBs in
the development of cybersecurity infrastructure. DMD has also commented that
IDD and DFIBT have to put up their views on the matter (copy of office note
enclosed).

3. In reference to the above, during the 88th BoS committee meeting dated 29th
Dec 2022, IDD has appraised that the department is in progress to enlarge the
scope of CDF to include acquisition of VA/PT tools by the banks and same will be
taken up during the ensuing meeting on CDF.

4. Considering the continuous increase in cyber threat, related incidents and

compliance to various guidelines by GoI and Regulators, there is a need that our
RRBs and RCBs are well equipped with cyber threat detection and protection
measures. These includes acquiring cyber security tools and technologies,
obtaining brand monitoring services e.g. anti-phishing, dark web monitoring and
having cyber insurance in case of any cyber incidents happens etc.

5. In view of the same, we may write to IDD to consider including all the cyber
security aspects (tool and services) both for RRBs and RCBs while extending the
scope of CDF to ensure robust cyber security infrastructure within banks (draft
enclosed).

For information and approval please.

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Name of the Officer: Ganesh Saini

Designation: CSM

Date: 22/02/2023 16:46:08

As proposed. Draft IDM to IDD for approval please.

Name of the Officer: Vijay G Bhat

Designation: DGM

Date: 23/02/2023 10:27:34

Pl revise as discussed and resubmit

Name of the Officer: Vinita Singh

Designation: GM

Date: 23/02/2023 14:47:28

Draft IDM to IDD is revised. For approval please.

Name of the Officer: Ganesh Saini

Designation: CSM

Date: 24/02/2023 16:51:46

Draft IDM to IDD to enlarge the scope of CDF to include all cyber security
aspects ( tools and services)may be approved please

Name of the Officer: Vinita Singh

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Designation: GM

Date: 27/02/2023 16:20:24

1. Scope of CDF as name suggests, is to support Cooperative Banks and

Cooperative Institutions, not RRBs. Hence our suggestion should be limited to
cooperative banks

2. IDD may have to be guided as to what components of cyber security tools and
services. A list of such tools and services that can be adopted by the RCBs, which
can be subsized by CDF through grant support, along with their approximate cost
may be furnished to IDD to take a call in the matter.

3. Eligibility criteria for assistance under CDF for the purpose couldbe Rural
Cooperative Banks having level 2 and above controls as per VICSreturn. This may
be reviewed and incorporated in the draft IDM

Please resubmit

Name of the Officer: K S Raghupathi

Designation: CGM

Date: 01/03/2023 10:44:37

Name of the Officer: Vinita Singh

Designation: GM

Date: 01/03/2023 13:05:58

Comment of CGM may please be seen and the case resubmitted.

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Name of the Officer: Vijay G Bhat

Designation: DGM

Date: 15/03/2023 09:51:19

Name of the Officer: Ganesh Saini

Designation: CSM

Date: 24/03/2023 10:47:45

Pre-occupied with other tasks assigned by DGM (VGB), requesting you to please
take up the matter.

Name of the Officer: Rohan Kumar Choudhari

Designation: ACSM

Date: 28/03/2023 10:55:19

Resubmitted Please

The response to the CGM’s query as indicated on page 3 of the office note is as
below:

Query-1: Scope of CDF as name suggests, is to support Cooperative Banks and

Cooperative Institutions, not RRBs. Hence our suggestion should be limited to
cooperative banks.

Response: IDM to IDD has been modified to consider grant support to

cooperative banks only for cyber security tools and services under CDF.

However, in past, we have also received request from few of the RRBs for
financial assistance for implementation of cybersecurity tools and services. We
may advise IDD to consider devising another scheme to support RRBs also.

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Query-2: IDD may have to be guided as to what components of cyber security

tools and services. A list of such tools and services that can be adopted by the
RCBs, which can be subsidized by CDF through grant support, along with their
approximate cost may be furnished to IDD to take a call in the matter.

Response: An indicate list of tools and services along with approximate cost is
enclosed as Annex I. However, the cost is completely depends of bank
infrastructure e.g. locations, network bandwidth, type of applications, no. of
servers/ end points coverage, no. of user licenses, tenure of the service, features
of the solution etc. It is difficult to drive the actual cost for solutions accordingly
the mentioned cost may be used for reference only.

Query-3: Eligibility criteria for assistance under CDF for the purpose could be
Rural Cooperative Banks having level 2 and above controls as per VICS return.
This may be reviewed and incorporated in the draft IDM

Response: The eligibility criterial is included in IDM i.e. Level 2 or above and
having VICS score more than 75% (having basic cyber security controls already in
place).

Submitted for information and approval please.

Name of the Officer: Ganesh Saini

Designation: CSM

Date: 19/04/2023 15:25:09

IDMs to IDD on the matter submitted for approval please

Name of the Officer: Vijay G Bhat

Designation: DGM

Date: 20/04/2023 09:55:10

As proposed

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Name of the Officer: Shri Prabhat Keshava

Designation: GM

Date: 20/04/2023 16:14:06

Draft IDM does not talk about what is being enclosed. Also the eligibility criteria
for consideration of banks for assistance not covered in the IDM. Why such poor
drafting of IDM despite passing through at least 3 layers?

The cost per bank, if all/most of the tools/services are offered as grant, will be too
huge to be covered under CDF. Whether this factor has been taken into account
before putting up the draft IDM? What is the original recommendation of BOS in
this regard and whether we have taken into account the recommendation vis a vis
funds available under CDF?

Please discuss, along with CSITE team.

Name of the Officer: K S Raghupathi

Designation: CGM

Date: 29/04/2023 20:08:55

Name of the Officer: Shri Prabhat Keshava

Designation: GM

Date: 08/05/2023 09:38:57

NB-DOS-CSITE-CSPOL-E-2022-23-000782