Govt. gathers programmers to hack hostile nations systems

[youngindian]

Thursday, 05 August 2010, 08:20 IST


New Delhi: India is all set to enter into the arena of cyber war. The government is forming an army of software professionals to hack computer systems of hostile nations. According to the proposal by government administrators, IT workers and ethical hackers, who sign up for the project will get protection from law.

The software professionals will have to use their expertise to breach the security walls of enemy systems.In recent times, India faced a spate of assaults on its computer systems, and the government is worried about spying attempts from neighbouring countries like China and Pakistan. According to the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, a China-based group of hackers had conducted extensive spying operations in India, stealing defence ministry's confidential documents.

The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) along with Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) will be responsible for creating cyber-offensive capabilities, said the government proposal. NTRO uses to gather technical intelligence, while DIA compare inputs from the Navy, Army and Air Force.

Apart from gathering technical intelligence, NTRO will also suggest measures to ensure legal protection to recruits. The move is expected to persuade software professionals into joining the government group as under the Indian IT Act, hacking is punishable with imprisonment up to three years, or carries a fine up to 2 lakh, or both.

According to Vikas Desai, lead technical lead of network security firm RSA, the government's efforts can be classified as ethical hacking, as many countries and organisations in the world have already adopted this infrastructure.

India is due to produce nearly 5.71 lakh technical graduates and postgraduates in 2010. Hence, recruitment may not be a problem, according to Nasscom.


http://www.siliconindia.com/shownew...o_hack_hostile_nations_systems-nid-70366.html

 

[Yusuf]

Finalllyyyy. Right thing to do. No shame in spying or espionage. India should look into hacking MIL of China and other countries. no need to be holier than thou.

 

[Agantrope]

Why the hell this came out as a news??

 

[tarunraju]

Extremely bad move making this public. They could have done this covertly. Now those hostile nations just have to step up security. But I agree, it's about damn time.

 

[nrj]

Seems there is no GOI policy in filtering the decision announcements. Where is the National Secrets clause? & when was it used last time? (I didn't notice anything in post-soviet era)

 

[p2prada]

Why the hell this came out as a news??

Extremely bad move making this public. They could have done this covertly. Now those hostile nations just have to step up security. But I agree, it's about damn time.

I always find it remarkably funny how people think enemy intelligence get their intel from a reporter and a defence forum.

It came out as news because it does not affect anything. There are things you will never know, not even our PM's wife would know, but the Chinese premier will. Intel agencies rely on much more than a press statement.

 

[Param]

Extremely bad move making this public. They could have done this covertly. Now those hostile nations just have to step up security. But I agree, it's about damn time.

our enemies would have found out anyway

 

[Yusuf]

I dont think any country is going to beef up security based on GoI announcement. Take the Chinese for instance. They are sure the US is snooping and would have taken appropriate measures for that. The same measure will hold good for India. nothing is going to change. GoI is only advertising it to get some good talent and also tell them its going to be protected by law. Also it probably not going to be just hacking of hostile nations, but also hacking Indian systems to check for vulnerability for sure.

 

[nrj]

We can consider it as an GOI's attempt to make people feel better.... Too many news that 'Chinese are hacking Govt Computers' so some "Feel Good factor"... :angry_6:

 

[tarunraju]

our enemies would have found out anyway

No, cyber-warfare is such that you can compromise your target without giving away your location (by working over a chain of proxies).

 

[anoop_mig25]

We can consider it as an GOI's attempt to make people feel better.... Too many news that 'Chinese are hacking Govt Computers' so some "Feel Good factor"... :angry_6:

although out of context but this "Feel Good factor" has bad omen associated with it remember NDA used and it dupe them . so congress never uses it officially

 

[tarunraju]

although out of context but this "Feel Good factor" has bad omen associated with it remember NDA used and it dupe them . so congress never uses it officially

They do, actually. Remember the Aam aadmi ke badhte kadam...har kadam pe Congress neta bulandh campaign during the 2009 general elections? It was similar to India Shining.

 

[SHASH2K2]

They do, actually. Remember the Aam aadmi ke badhte kadam...har kadam pe Congress neta bulandh campaign during the 2009 general elections? It was similar to India Shining.

Actually It should be aam admi ke badhte kadam , apke kadam katne ko taiyar baithe hum.This is what UPA is doing in its 2nd term.

 

[Tshering22]

This sort of stuff should be kept confidential. I don't know why the media is given so much importance where they're not needed.