IT Act 2000
Information Technology Act, 2000
India's foundational cyber law. It gives legal recognition to electronic records and signatures, defines cyber offences and creates CERT-In and protected-system powers.
In force: In force since 2000; substantially amended in 2008
Who it applies to
Anyone in India, and offences committed outside India that involve a computer system located in India.
Key requirements
- Legal recognition of electronic records and digital or electronic signatures.
- Offences such as computer-related offences (section 66), identity theft (66C), cheating by personation (66D) and cyber terrorism (66F).
- Intermediary due diligence and safe-harbour conditions (section 79 and the IT Rules).
- Protected systems (section 70) and CERT-In as the national incident response agency (section 70B).
- Section 43A compensation for failing to protect sensitive personal data, which the DPDP Act replaces as it comes into force.
Breach and incident notification
Incident reporting duties come from the CERT-In Directions issued under section 70B.
Penalties
Compensation, fines and imprisonment that vary by section.
Related frameworks
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Official source
MeitY: Acts and policies (Information Technology Act 2000)Not legal advice
This is a study summary, not legal advice. Laws and their guidance change, and obligations depend on your facts and jurisdiction. Check the official source and the current, dated text, and consult a qualified lawyer before acting.