The team aims at helping individuals and institutions in cyber security by providing immediate assistance. “Our aim is to provide immediate assistance in case of emergency mishaps and make the stakeholders concerned aware about the challenges,” ITSERT-NP Chairman Rajan Raj Pant said at a programme here on Sunday.

ITSERT-NP will conduct public awareness programmes across the country. The programmes will be held in coordination with stakeholders and government agencies concerned. ITSERT-NP activities will be governed by the Contact Act 2000 and the Electronic Transactions Act 2008. ITSERT-NP will constantly keep updated about new issues and challenges through similar other institutions working in foreign countries. If the institution fails to counter problems reported to them, it will refer the case to such institutions abroad.

“This way, we can provide first hand assistance with whatever resource and manpower we have. If that is not enough, we can refer the cases to similar other institutions abroad,” Pant said.

Birendra Kumar Mishra, director general at the Department of Information Technology, lauded the private sector-led initiative and said it needs a boost with government collaboration. “Since the government itself is not fully capable to hold such an initiative, we can coordinate with ITSERT-NP.”

Bimal Kumar Sharma, founding president of Computer Association of Nepal (CAN), said establishment of such an institution has created a platform to address several technical issues. “Such kinds of institutions should have been established long ago. Nevertheless, we have it in place now, which is positive,” he said.

In a statement, Minister for Information of Communication Minendra Rijal said information security is an area of priority. “I am very happy to note that ITSERT-NP is trying to bring together the IT security professionals of the country under a single umbrella and become their united voice,” he said.

Conference on cyber security and cyber law

The Information Technology Security Emergency Response Team Nepal (ITSERT-NP) is all set to organise the first International Conference on Cyber Security and Cyber Law 2015 from February 19-21 in Kathmandu. ITSERT-NP Treasurer Bikram Shrestha said the event will feature presentations by researchers from international and local communities and eminent keynote speakers. The programme, with an objective to empower and encourage the participation in understanding cyber security, is being targeted at government agencies, banks and financial institutions, internet service providers, I/NGOs, ICT professionals, academicians, students, lawyers and security professional among others. According to the organisers, the participation fee for the event for students will be Rs 5,000, for professionals Rs 15,000, for corporates Rs 25,000, and Rs 5,000 for ITSERT-NP members.