GAZETTE

The CII Gazette Notice

Gazette Notice No. 1043 of 31 January 2022 formally designates critical infrastructure systems under CMCA section 9. It identifies high-impact sectors and…

Legal effect: Issued under section 9(1) and 9(2) of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, this Gazette Notice designates listed systems as critical infrastructure, with effect from 20 January 2022. It is the formal instrument that operationalizes national criticality classification at sector and system level.

Why this designation matters: Once a system category is designated as critical infrastructure, it falls within the enhanced governance and protection expectations under CMCA and related regulations. This includes stronger risk controls, incident reporting readiness, and compliance oversight.

Telecommunications and digital backbone scope: The Notice covers voice/data communication systems, internet connectivity infrastructure, domain/IP management, exchange points, and major data/in-country cloud facilities, reflecting the central role of connectivity and hosting ecosystems in national resilience.

Public service continuity sectors: It designates systems supporting electoral, judicial, education, health, food, water, and land services. This ties cybersecurity directly to continuity of core state and social functions affecting rights, service delivery, and public trust.

Economic and mobility systems: The Notice includes energy generation/transmission and petroleum-related systems, aviation, rail, maritime and road transport management systems, as well as industry and government procurement/revenue platforms that sustain economic operations.

Financial system protections: Designations include banking and saving services, payment and settlement ecosystems, capital markets/stock exchange support systems, and related transaction infrastructure, recognizing systemic financial stability risks from cyber disruption.

National security and safety systems: Defence, intelligence, policing, civil administration, immigration, and public/environmental safety related systems are also included, reflecting their direct linkage to sovereignty, order, emergency response and national risk management.

How to read this notice with other instruments: The Gazette Notice identifies what is critical. The CMCA and the 2024 Regulations define how those systems should be governed, secured, audited, and reported. Together, they form the legal-operational chain from designation to enforcement and resilience.