Context: 

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) may soon be exempt from responding to queries under the Right to Information Act, the government informed Parliament.

More on News:

• The Department of Personnel and Training has reviewed a proposal from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to include CERT­-in in the Second Schedule to the RTI Act.
• The exemption would allow CERT­-In to reject any application for information, even on policy related matters. 
• This is significant as the body had issued directions in April 2022 that required Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers and cryptocurrency firms to preserve data on all users. 
• The directions are being challenged in the Delhi High Court, and the government has argued that absolute anonymity online is not acceptable. 
• Several major VPN providers have pulled their servers out of India, arguing that the directions would compromise users’ privacy on the internet.

About CERT-In:

• It is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occur.
• CERT­-In coordinates with public and private organisations in India when cyber incidents like data breaches and ransomware attacks are reported. 
• CERT-In was established in 2004 as a functional organisation of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Functions: 
  • Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber incidents.
  • Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents
  • Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents
  • Coordination of cyber incident response activities.
  • Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes and whitepapers relating to information security practices, procedures, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents.
  • Such other functions relating to cyber security as may be prescribed.

About Right to Information Act 2005:

• Right to Information Act 2005 provides for timely disclosure of information by citizens from both central and State Public Authorities. 
• The Act seeks to empower citizens and promote accountability and transparency.

Exemptions under RTI Act

• Section 24 of the RTI Act 2005 lays down that this law is not applicable to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule. 
• However, the only exception these organisations have is for information on allegations of corruption and human rights violations

Second Schedule:

• It includes 26 intelligence and security agencies under its ambit. 
• Some of them are 

1. 1. Intelligence Bureau (IB)
   2. Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of the Cabinet Secretariat 
   3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
   4. Special Frontier Force (SFF)
   5. Border Security Force (BSF) 
   6. National Security Guards (NSG) 
   7. Assam Rifles

Source: The Hindu