Date:23/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122352960300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Net-enabled phone, a security challenge

S. Vijay Kumar

With cyber crime taking new shapes, Chennai Police is set to be trained by Google and NASSCOM on cyber security

Chennai: Cyber crime is one area that is often taking new dimensions, in the process keeping law enforcing agencies on tenterhooks. Though the police are trying to keep themselves abreast of the latest cyber trends, the pace with which Information Technology is growing has turned out to be a cause for worry with specific reference to use of Internet for unlawful activities.

After handling sensational cases involving threats sent through email or text messages (SMSs), the police are now looking at the growing use of new generation mobile phones that allow unlimited access to Internet.

Their apprehension is that the level of cyber security has not been enhanced corresponding to the range of facilities offered by Internet and telecom service providers.

According to a police official, the new generation mobile phones are embedded with technology that enabled access to the Internet. “Mobile phones can be connected to mail servers for data transfer. Though such facility is routed through an Internet Protocol, the worrying factor is the identity of the users. A SIM card activated with bogus address can also be used to send emails. The problem of identifying suspects in such cases becomes difficult though we may establish the IP address,” the official said.

When contacted, the Customer Service Manager of a telecom service provider said that address proof verification was one aspect of which the company made no compromise.

The guidelines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India with regard to the genuineness of address proof were being implemented firmly.

“While mobile phone is activated only after obtaining a photo identity proof in the case of pre-paid connections, it takes a couple of days to ascertain address claims made for post-paid connections. Even when the address of the family members is given, we deactivate the connection,” he said. Commissioner of Police K. Radhakrishnan said that the Chennai Police was gearing to counter challenges posed by the new generation cyber crimes. A two-day conference on “Cyber Crime Trends and Investigation” was organised for a select group of police officers, including cyber crime investigators, in which experts from the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and Anna University, presented papers on various issues such as “Internet Security and Offences” and “Mobile Phone Investigation.”

“We are preparing to handle emerging challenges on the cyber crime front. IT major Google and the National Association of Software and Service Companies have agreed to offer advanced training programmes to the police personnel. IT gadgets worth about Rs.80 lakh are being purchased for the Cyber Lab that is coming up in Chennai, added Mr. Radhakrishnan.