JOIN US“Of late, extraordinary and unprecedented cyber crimes have taken place across the globe, exposing gaping holes in cyber security systems. A few recent cases are reminders of our own vulnerabilities,” Antony said while addressing the unified commanders conference here.
The minister’s caution comes 10 days after a group of Chinese hackers from Chengdu province is suspected to have penetrated into military computers having information on several Indian missile programmes, computers of Military Engineering Service, 21 Mountain Artillery Brigade in Assam, three bases of Indian Air Force and two military colleges. Though the extent of damage is still unknown, the researchers from Munk School of Global Affairs in University of Toronto and cyber-espionage tracker SecDev in Ottawa are in touch with the National Technology Reconnaissance Organisation — India’s top-most signal intelligence unit — over the last few months sharing the information.
Antony asked the top brass of the three services to be in touch with the Computer and Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), NTRO, Union Home Ministry and Communication and Information Technology Ministry to prepare the crisis management plan.
A Parliamentary standing committee on Thursday revealed that a panel was set up to look into matters relating to cyber security particularly in reference to strategic data maintained by the defence services.