CBSE Strengthens Digital Security Amid COEMPT Controversy

The CBSE has taken critical security measures by transferring all data and records related to its On-screen Marking (OSM) system to its own servers from COEMPT Eduteck's platforms. Despite security concerns, COEMPT remains involved in scanning processes, while IIT teams have conducted extensive security reviews and improvements.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has opted to retain COEMPT Eduteck Pvt Ltd for scanning answer sheets during the ongoing re-evaluation process. A central move was shifting all related data and records from vendor-controlled servers to CBSE's in-house servers, according to information from an IIT official reported by ANI.

Security concerns have surrounded the continued use of COEMPT's On-screen Marking platform. Despite past issues, including a reported 30,000 problems in scanning 40 crore pages, the company is tasked with scanning only those pages flagged during the re-evaluation. The security strategy involves IIT Kanpur's in-depth review of CBSE's digital infrastructure.

After CBSE faced cybersecurity threats, including a significant DoS attack, IIT teams from Kanpur and Madras enhanced protective measures. A rigorous process involving a 'blue team' and 'red team' approach was employed to bolster the OSM portal's resilience. Ethical hackers assisted in identifying vulnerabilities, ensuring the service maintains operational integrity.