(o) “data” means a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts or instructions
which are being prepared or have been prepared in a formalised manner, and is intended to be
processed, is being processed or has been processed in a computer system or computer network, and
may be in any form (including computer printouts magnetic or optical storage media, punched cards,
punched tapes) or stored internally in the memory of the computer;
(p) “digital signature” means authentication of any electronic record by a subscriber by means of
an electronic method or procedure in accordance with the provisions of section 3;
(q) “Digital Signature Certificate” means a Digital Signature Certificate issued under sub-section
(4) of section 35;
(r) “electronic form” with reference to information, means any information generated, sent,
received or stored in media, magnetic, optical, computer memory, micro film, computer generated
micro fiche or similar device;
(s) “Electronic Gazette” means the Official Gazette published in the electronic form;
(t) “electronic record” means data, record or data generated, image or sound stored, received or
sent in an electronic form or micro film or computer generated micro fiche;
[(ta) “electronic signature” means authentication of any electronic record by a subscriber by
means of the electronic technique specified in the Second Schedule and includes digital signature;
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(tb) “Electronic Signature Certificate” means an Electronic Signature Certificate issued under
section 35 and includes Digital Signature Certificate;]
(u) “function”, in relation to a computer, includes logic, control, arithmetical process, deletion,
storage and retrieval and communication or telecommunication from or within a computer;
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[(ua) Indian Computer Emergency Response Team” means an agency established under subsection (1) of Section 70B;]
(v) “information” includes 2[data, message, text,] images, sound, voice, codes, computer
programmes, software and data bases or micro film or computer generated micro fiche;
[(w) “intermediary”, with respect to any particular electronic records, means any person who on
behalf of another person receives, stores or transmits that record or provides any service with respect
to that record and includes telecom service providers, network service providers, internet service
providers, web-hosting service providers, search engines, online payment sites, online-auction sites,
online-market places and cyber cafes;]
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(x) “key pair”, in an asymmetric crypto system, means a private key and its mathematically
related public key, which are so related that the public key can verify a digital signature created by the
private key;
(y) “law” includes any Act of Parliament or of a State Legislature, Ordinances promulgated by the
President or a Governor, as the case may be, Regulations made by the President under article 240,
Bills enacted as President's Act under sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of article 357 of the Constitution
and includes rules, regulations, bye-laws and orders issued or made thereunder;
(z) “licence” means a licence granted to a Certifying Authority under section 24;
(za) “originator” means a person who sends, generates, stores or transmits any electronic message
or causes any electronic message to be sent, generated, stored or transmitted to any other person but
does not include an intermediary;
(zb) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(zc) “private key” means the key of a key pair used to create a digital signature;
(zd) “public key” means the key of a key pair used to verify a digital signature and listed in the
Digital Signature Certificate;
1. Ins. by Act 10 of 2009 s. 4 (w.e.f. 27-10-2009).
2. Subs. by s. 4, ibid., for “data, text”, (w.e.f. 27-10-2009).
3. Subs. by s. 4, ibid., for clause (w), (w.e.f. 27-10-2009).
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