National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon has admitted that there is a "critical shortage" of cyber security experts in the government.

Menon suggested that both the government and the private organizations would have to join forces to meet the challenge. He was speaking at the release of a report of recommendations of a Joint Working Group (JWG).

Stressing on the need for collaboration the government and the industry on cyber security, Menon said, "The unique nature of this collaboration is because of the unique nature of the domain, and we need to develop the habit of working together that hasn't existed in the past."

He recalled recent incidents when anti-social elements misused Internet and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to spread panic amongst Northeastern people living in other parts of the nation.

Referring to riots against Northeastern people, Menon said that the country had already witnessed how social media could be misused to affect communal harmony.

He added that the country needed to create a righteous circle of security while upholding democratic rights of privacy and freedom of speech.

The JWG also recommended that the Union Home Ministry should establish training facilities for law enforcement agencies in the fields of cyber forensics and cyber crime investigations.