Cyber warfare

[Arun_S]

This tread is for news/discussion on Cyber warfare. An area that India continues to be on the reaceiving end, even from 2 paisa tuccha like Pakistan, what to speak of determined resourceful countries like China, US.



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[size="4"][color="blue"][url="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/08/04/stories/2010080453820901.htm"]India goes on the offensive in cyber warfare[/url][/color][/size] Preparing master plan to counter attacks on information networks.

Thomas K. Thomas New Delhi, Aug. 3



After being at the receiving end of cyber attacks from across the border for many years, India is preparing a blueprint for undertaking counter cyber warfare on unfriendly countries.



According to a proposal being considered by the National Security Council, Indian agencies may be told to enhance capabilities to exploit weaknesses in the information systems of other countries and also collect online intelligence of key military activities.



The proposal includes setting up laboratories in research institutions to simulate cyber attacks with the help of ethical hackers. These laboratories would be used for training intelligence agencies for offensive and defensive cyber warfare techniques. Personnel working in this area may be given legal immunity for carrying out these activities.



The blueprint is likely be put into action by the National Technical Research Organisation, the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.



The plan also talks about setting up early-warning capabilities about impending attacks on the country's information systems and developing expertise in cyber forensics, which includes tools that focus on acquiring information from attacked systems to find out sources of attacks.



The Government is looking at setting up a National Testing Facility that will certify all imported software and hardware procured for key information systems. Security agencies are concerned about spyware or malware embedded into imported products which can be used by unfriendly countries to disrupt key sectors.



The proposed testing facility will be on the lines of the Trust Technology Assessment Programme in the US.



In order to secure key areas such as banking, Defence, the Railways, civil aviation, atomic energy and oil and gas, it is being proposed to set up a Computer Emergency Response Team for each of these sectors.