IIT Kanpur to Establish ₹104-Crore UP Cyber Security Operations Centre

IIT Kanpur to Develop ₹104-Crore Cyber Security Operations Centre in Uttar Pradesh

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur is set to establish a Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) in Uttar Pradesh with an estimated investment of ₹104 crore. The proposed facility is expected to strengthen the state's ability to identify, monitor and respond to cyber threats.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over cybercrime, online fraud, data breaches and attacks targeting government networks and digital infrastructure. With government services, financial transactions and public administration increasingly moving online, strengthening cybersecurity systems has become an important priority.

IIT Kanpur's technical expertise and research capabilities are expected to play a significant role in developing the proposed facility.

What Will the UP Cyber Security Operations Centre Do?

The Uttar Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Centre (UP-CSOC) will function as a centralised facility for monitoring and managing cyber threats affecting the state government's digital infrastructure.

According to IIT Kanpur's official announcement dated October 30, 2026, the centre will provide round-the-clock monitoring of government networks, applications, databases and critical information systems.

Its major responsibilities will include:

24×7 cyber monitoring: Continuously tracking government digital systems to identify suspicious activities and potential security breaches.

Threat detection: Using threat intelligence to identify emerging cyber risks and assess their possible impact.

Vulnerability management: Identifying weaknesses in government networks and digital applications.

Incident response: Investigating cyberattacks and coordinating responses to security incidents.

Post-incident analysis: Examining security breaches to identify gaps and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The facility will cover both Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments.

AI and Machine Learning to Strengthen Cybersecurity

The proposed centre will use several advanced technologies to improve the detection and management of cyber threats.

These include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): To support automated threat identification and security analysis.

Machine Learning (ML): To help identify suspicious patterns and emerging cyber risks.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): To collect and analyse security-related information from different systems.

Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR): To streamline security operations and incident response.

Network Detection and Response (NDR): To monitor network activity and identify potentially harmful behaviour.

The integration of these technologies is expected to help government departments respond more effectively to cybersecurity incidents.

Cybersecurity Training and Security Audits Also Planned

The project will extend beyond technology deployment. It will also focus on improving cybersecurity awareness and preparedness among government departments.

The proposed activities include:

Coordination with departmental Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and designated nodal officers.

Cybersecurity training for relevant personnel.

Regular vulnerability assessments.

Cybersecurity drills to test emergency response preparedness.

Periodic independent security audits.

These measures are intended to establish a coordinated approach to cybersecurity management across different government departments.

IIT Kanpur's C3iHub to Manage the Centre for Three Years

C3iHub, IIT Kanpur's Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Hub, will lead the establishment of the UP-CSOC. It will also be responsible for the centre's operations and maintenance during the initial three-year period.

The institute has previously deployed Security Operations Centre capabilities for organisations including:

SAIL Bhilai Steel Plant

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

Indian Ports Association (IPA)

According to IIT Kanpur, these projects have provided C3iHub with experience in protecting critical infrastructure and managing cybersecurity operations.

Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, said the initiative would help protect Uttar Pradesh's digital infrastructure from evolving cyber threats and safeguard essential services and sensitive information.

How Will the Project Benefit Uttar Pradesh?

The establishment of UP-CSOC is expected to strengthen the state's digital governance framework.

As government departments increasingly depend on online platforms for public services and administrative operations, cybersecurity risks have become an important concern.

A centralised monitoring and response system could help authorities identify cyber threats earlier, coordinate action across departments and reduce disruptions to essential government services.

The ₹104.28-crore project is therefore expected to play an important role in strengthening Uttar Pradesh's cybersecurity preparedness.