echarcha
January 5th, 2001, 04:11 PM
Indians, Pakistanis play patriotic games on Net
MUMBAI: After Kargil, Indians and Pakistanis have found a virtually new battleground - cyberspace. And the first round of this war has gone to Pakistan. According to cyber experts, more than 500 Indian sites were defaced by Pakistani and other unidentified anti-India hackers last year. And, despite its numerous IT whizkids, India has managed only one ``victory'': A ``patriotic IT professional'' posted a warning on the Pakistani government site: ``Don't take panga with India.''
The website of Sheetal departmental store and zeetv.com were hacked by `G-Force Pakistan' recently and derogatory articles on the Indian armed forces and the government posted. On August 15, the site of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited was defaced by Pakistan's sympathisers.
The latest round in this silent war started after the ceasefire was announced in the Kashmir Valley. ``In the last few months, several VIPs have been bombarded with hate mail from terrorists. Death threats have been posted on the Net. Kashmiri leaders have been getting mail, ordering them to retract pro-India statements,'' says Dewang Mehta, president of NASSCOM and a member of the National Cyber Crime Committee.
E-warfare, it is believed, is primarily the handiwork of techno-savvy youth. ``There is a new breed emerging, in the age-group of 14 to 35 years, which feels it can create equal havoc with a mouse and an AK-47,'' says Deputy Commissioner of Police Himanshu Roy, who heads the Mumbai Police's cyber crime cell.
Of late, countries like China, Russia and even India have reportedly recruited hackers for the purpose ranging from espionage to preventive action. An intelligence official says that many militant outfits look out for hackers' CVs. Mehta says, ``Cyber terrorism is on the increase in the sub-continent.''
Serial time-bombs and cybermites are already part of the hackers' weaponry. The sophistication and hi-tech computer programming, say experts, demand nothing short of an evil genius.
At present, three groups of pro-Pakistan hackers have been identified. `G-Force Pakistan', the most active one last year, reportedly hacked the sites of the Indian Science Congress, The Asian Age, the National Research Centre, the Agricultural University of Maharashtra, IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Chennai, and the Indian National Information Technology Promotion, among others.
Another group, run by `Doctor Nuker', has reportedly hacked the sites of the Indian Parliament, the Ahmedabad Telephone Exchange, and the United Nations (India). `Nightman' has defaced the sites of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and Mahindra & Mahindra, among others.
An intelligence official says, ``Previously, differences between India and Pakistan were settled on the cricket field. Now, with limited cricket encounters, the youths are being forced to settle scores on the Net.''
More at: http://www.timesofindia.com/today/06home6.htm
MUMBAI: After Kargil, Indians and Pakistanis have found a virtually new battleground - cyberspace. And the first round of this war has gone to Pakistan. According to cyber experts, more than 500 Indian sites were defaced by Pakistani and other unidentified anti-India hackers last year. And, despite its numerous IT whizkids, India has managed only one ``victory'': A ``patriotic IT professional'' posted a warning on the Pakistani government site: ``Don't take panga with India.''
The website of Sheetal departmental store and zeetv.com were hacked by `G-Force Pakistan' recently and derogatory articles on the Indian armed forces and the government posted. On August 15, the site of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited was defaced by Pakistan's sympathisers.
The latest round in this silent war started after the ceasefire was announced in the Kashmir Valley. ``In the last few months, several VIPs have been bombarded with hate mail from terrorists. Death threats have been posted on the Net. Kashmiri leaders have been getting mail, ordering them to retract pro-India statements,'' says Dewang Mehta, president of NASSCOM and a member of the National Cyber Crime Committee.
E-warfare, it is believed, is primarily the handiwork of techno-savvy youth. ``There is a new breed emerging, in the age-group of 14 to 35 years, which feels it can create equal havoc with a mouse and an AK-47,'' says Deputy Commissioner of Police Himanshu Roy, who heads the Mumbai Police's cyber crime cell.
Of late, countries like China, Russia and even India have reportedly recruited hackers for the purpose ranging from espionage to preventive action. An intelligence official says that many militant outfits look out for hackers' CVs. Mehta says, ``Cyber terrorism is on the increase in the sub-continent.''
Serial time-bombs and cybermites are already part of the hackers' weaponry. The sophistication and hi-tech computer programming, say experts, demand nothing short of an evil genius.
At present, three groups of pro-Pakistan hackers have been identified. `G-Force Pakistan', the most active one last year, reportedly hacked the sites of the Indian Science Congress, The Asian Age, the National Research Centre, the Agricultural University of Maharashtra, IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Chennai, and the Indian National Information Technology Promotion, among others.
Another group, run by `Doctor Nuker', has reportedly hacked the sites of the Indian Parliament, the Ahmedabad Telephone Exchange, and the United Nations (India). `Nightman' has defaced the sites of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and Mahindra & Mahindra, among others.
An intelligence official says, ``Previously, differences between India and Pakistan were settled on the cricket field. Now, with limited cricket encounters, the youths are being forced to settle scores on the Net.''
More at: http://www.timesofindia.com/today/06home6.htm