Cyber security setup fails first major challenge
22 Aug 2012 12:20 PM IST
The recent panic instigated through web sites targeted at the Northeastern community, which triggered their exodus from various cities, was a fallout of the complete collapse of cyber security build up of the country. The Indian government, to save itself of embarrassment, has so far blamed only 'mischievous elements' across the border and not any government agency for the unprecedented aggression in cyber warfare. 'This is being done to cover-up our complete intelligence failure, even as Pakistan mounted a successful attack on us in the cyber world,' said a senior intelligence official.
The nodal technical intelligence agency – the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) – has a large deployment for cyber security and patrolling personnel. According to sources, a 120-member strong team is deployed for cyber security, another team of 35 for cyber patrolling and a crack team of 60-odd hackers for cyber offensive operations. The cyber security units are deployed across the country, including in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, which have been worst affected by the recent Internet-fuelled communal disturbances.
The cyber offensive spreading communal virus was detected only when the panicky students and professionals from the Northeast working in various metropolitans across south India, especially Hyderababd and Bengaluru, started to flee. 'With our huge deployment to counter cyber attacks, the government would have to give answers how come this offensive went unnoticed nearly for a month,' said the official.
Cyber patrolling, security and offensive operations units are headed by officers of the rank of additional secretary and supported by a joint secretary and three director-level officers, besides other junior officials. 'Despite such deployment, our cyber security mechanism just collapsed,' said the official, pointing to the admission by the Ministry of Home Affairs that spreading of hate messages targeting Northeastern population across the country started soon after the clashes started in Assam between Bodos and Muslim groups on 13 July.
Commenting on the government move to ban web sites, the official said, 'In cyber warfare, banning a web site is not the answer, as these sites can be duplicated or multiplied in no time. The effective answer is to have an effective “counter strike” response, as no service provider would like to have his servers down because of the action of the few.' The recent attack has shown our lack of preparedness to counter such an offensive.
The nodal technical intelligence agency – the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) – has a large deployment for cyber security and patrolling personnel. According to sources, a 120-member strong team is deployed for cyber security, another team of 35 for cyber patrolling and a crack team of 60-odd hackers for cyber offensive operations. The cyber security units are deployed across the country, including in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, which have been worst affected by the recent Internet-fuelled communal disturbances.
The cyber offensive spreading communal virus was detected only when the panicky students and professionals from the Northeast working in various metropolitans across south India, especially Hyderababd and Bengaluru, started to flee. 'With our huge deployment to counter cyber attacks, the government would have to give answers how come this offensive went unnoticed nearly for a month,' said the official.
Cyber patrolling, security and offensive operations units are headed by officers of the rank of additional secretary and supported by a joint secretary and three director-level officers, besides other junior officials. 'Despite such deployment, our cyber security mechanism just collapsed,' said the official, pointing to the admission by the Ministry of Home Affairs that spreading of hate messages targeting Northeastern population across the country started soon after the clashes started in Assam between Bodos and Muslim groups on 13 July.
Commenting on the government move to ban web sites, the official said, 'In cyber warfare, banning a web site is not the answer, as these sites can be duplicated or multiplied in no time. The effective answer is to have an effective “counter strike” response, as no service provider would like to have his servers down because of the action of the few.' The recent attack has shown our lack of preparedness to counter such an offensive.
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