"Creation and Publication of Electronic Signature Certificate for fraudulent purpose" is a punishable offence under which of the following sections of The Information Technology Act, 2000?

The correct answer is Section 74.

Key Points

• Section 74 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 deals with the "Publication for fraudulent purpose" related to electronic signature certificates.
• It states that knowingly creating, publishing, or making an electronic signature certificate available for fraudulent purposes is a punishable offence.
• The punishment under this section includes imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or a fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or both.
• The provision ensures the integrity and trustworthiness of electronic signatures and their use in digital transactions.
• This section is critical in preventing the misuse of electronic signature technology for fraudulent activities.

Additional Information

• Electronic Signature: An electronic signature is a digital form of a signature or a unique identifier meant to authenticate the identity of the signer in digital transactions.
• Digital Certificate: A digital certificate is an electronic document issued by a Certification Authority (CA) to validate the identity of the certificate holder.
• Certification Authority (CA): It is a trusted entity that issues digital certificates and manages the public key infrastructure (PKI) to ensure secure communication.
• Information Technology Act, 2000: This is India’s primary law for addressing electronic commerce, cybercrime, and electronic governance, including provisions for secure digital interactions.
• Penal Provisions in IT Act: Apart from Section 74, other penal provisions include Section 66 (hacking), Section 67 (publishing obscene material), and Section 69 (interception of communication), among others.