Army officer Defrauded: Is Internet Banking foolproof?

Net fraud: Rs 2L siphoned off from Army officer’s account
Shekhar Raj Shekhar, TNN | Jan 21, 2012, 04.52AM IST
NEW DELHI: A lieutenant colonel has alleged that around Rs 1.85 lakh were siphoned off from his account through internet banking. The victim, B B Sharan, 84, said he does not use make transactions through the internet. He further alleged that the accused got his number deactivated on the day of the incident, so that he could not get messages notifying him of the transaction.

Cops said the victim holds the account with a prominent bank. "On December 16, 2011, my mobile phone stopped showing any signal. When I contacted the service provider, he said my SIM card had been reported as lost. I got it changed, but the next day my phone again went kaput. On December 19, around 3.30pm I found my mobile had been activated on the new SIM card and I received an SMS about the transactions carried out on my account," said the victim, who is a resident of the Alaknanda area in south Delhi.

The victim became suspicious after reading the message and contacted the bank's customer-care department for details. "I was told that the money had been transferred through net banking to the account of one Niraj Singh on my instructions. I don't even know how to perform banking operations through the internet," the victim said. Sources said initial investigations point towards the involvement of an insider. He must have asked for his banking PIN through phone banking.

The victim told TOI: I went to the cops but they took no action on my complaint. It was only after the intervention of the addl. CP of the district that a case of cheating and fraud was registered at the CR Park police station."

The victim has requested the cops to investigate the matter and help him get his money back as he is using his savings for meeting his daily needs. Police sources said they are investigating how did the person find the victim's account numbers and the pin codes for these when the complainant himself doesn't know them.
Rs 2L siphoned off from Army officer’s account

Government trying to censor blogging?

By R Shankar, India Syndicate, 22/03/2011
Govt trying to censor blogging?
Is the Indian Government snooping on bloggers? Is a worried and nervous government trying to censor what bloggers write? Will the government snip uncomfortable opinion or comments?

Coming soon after the infamous Radia tapes where the government eves-dropped on corporate communication in hotel rooms and other private spaces, the issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday during the Zero Hour.

Said Chandrasekhar: "Indian bloggers are vibrant stakeholders of democracy, they represent young thoughts and their initiatives play an important role in the Indian political system. Youth rely on the phenomenon called blogging for news, to exchange ideas, thoughts and there should no censorship or control of thought on the Internet".

He urged the Government "to prevent any form of censorship, any form of control over blogs, bloggers and Internet"

A member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, Chandrasekhar pointed out to media reports that said that the Government was proposing to block or shut down blogs as well as bloggers if the opinions posted in them do not suit Government, institutions or individuals.

He said the move is one sided as the Government was planning to publish new rules in the Official Gazette under the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2009 without inviting public opinion.

The rules, if they come into force, "will infringe upon the Right to Freedom of Expression of the bloggers and users of the internet - as the internet has become an essential part of our daily life," said the MP.

The new rules are ready to be notified in the Official Gazette and then these rules will come into force, he said.

The rules require intermediaries such as service providers not to host or publish any information, which in the context of the internet, does include bloggers.

Additionally, the rules propose to authorise the intermediaries to remove access to 'infringing' material if they themselves gave actual knowledge or are asked to do so by a mandated authority.

"The execution of these rules in its existing form will be a blow to the vibrant blogging community and bloggers. It could result in a shutting down of the internet, which is the main form of expression for growing Indians, if the information posted is found inconvenient to Government, institutions or individuals. This is certainly against our basic democratic principles," he added.

Chandrasekhar urged the Government to be transparent by inviting public opinion and involve the blogging community before finalising and implementing these rules.
Source: India Syndicate
Govt trying to censor blogging?
Comment: Success of Citizens movement like in Syria, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Tunsia, Bahrain and other ME Nations ruled by dictators/ Shiekh Royal Families is directly derived from the power of the Internet Social Networking medium. Is our country choosing to curb the Freedom of Speech or is it getting nervous? Are we heading towards a full fledged banana/ fake republic/ democracy in totality? Should it not focus on Governance and enable Democracy? It is not Governance deficit but total lack of Governance that is breeding criminals. What about Electoral/ Police/ Judicial reforms? What about passing Lok Pal Bill without dilution? Does every village have access to clean drinking water? Do we have 24 hour assured electricity in all the villages? What about implementation of RTE in all the states? The Bureaucrats seem to be misleading the Nation and misguiding the Politicians to suppress Citizen Movements working for a vibrant democracy.

IESL Webpage

Organisation
Indian Ex-Services League has its headquarters at 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. All State/UT Leagues are affiliated and are located in their respective states.

IESL President, 3 Vice Presidents and the Treasurer are democratically elected where as General Secretary is a selected whole time staff appointment. In addition the President nominates three Vice Presidents for specific duties assigned by him. The apex body of the League is the Governing Council, and the Executive Committee is assigned to look after the day to day management of the League.

The States/UTs elect their delegates on pro-rata basis as per their IESL Common Membership strength on the cut off date. The President of all the State/UT Ex-Services Leagues are ex-officio delegates. The delegates elect one Governing Council Member for every 3 delegates of the State, who represent their State in the Governing Council. The delegates elected by the States/UTs elect one President and three Vice Presidents of IESL. The Governing Council also elects one of its members as Treasurer. The President has been authorized to nominate 3 Vice-Presidents with specific duties assigned and also with a view to ensure representation of each zone of the Country on the Council. The Council also elects the Executive Committee, which meets more often and executes the decisions taken by the Council. All the office bearers elected/ nominated are Hony appointments.

संगठन
भारतीय पूर्व सेवाएं लीग 9 न्याय मार्ग, चाणक्यपुरी, नई दिल्ली में अपने मुख्यालय है. सभी राज्य / संघ राज्य क्षेत्र लीग संबद्ध रहे हैं और उनके संबंधित राज्यों में स्थित है.

IESL राष्ट्रपति, 3 उप राष्ट्रपतियों और लोकतांत्रिक ढंग से निर्वाचित कोषाध्यक्ष रहे हैं, जहां के रूप में महासचिव चुने पूरे समय कर्मचारियों को नियुक्ति है. इसके अलावा राष्ट्रपति तीन विशिष्ट उसके द्वारा नियत कर्तव्यों के लिए उप राष्ट्रपति नामांकित करता है. लीग के शीर्ष निकाय शासी परिषद और कार्यकारी समिति है को लीग के प्रबंधन के लिए दिन दिन के बाद देखो सौंपा.

राज्यों / संघ राज्य क्षेत्रों की तारीख से कटौती पर अपने IESL आम सदस्यता शक्ति के अनुसार यथानुपात आधार पर अपने प्रतिनिधियों का चुनाव. राज्य सभी / केन्द्र शासित प्रदेशों के पूर्व सेवा लीग रहे हैं के पूर्व राष्ट्रपति officio प्रतिनिधियों. प्रतिनिधियों को राज्य के हर 3 प्रतिनिधियों, जो शासी परिषद में अपने राज्य का प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए एक शासी परिषद सदस्य का चुनाव. राज्यों द्वारा निर्वाचित प्रतिनिधियों / संघ एक राष्ट्रपति और IESL के तीन उप राष्ट्रपतियों का चुनाव. शासी परिषद भी एक कोषाध्यक्ष के रूप में अपने सदस्यों के elects. राष्ट्रपति के लिए विशिष्ट करने की दृष्टि से और भी सौंपा परिषद में देश के प्रत्येक क्षेत्र के प्रतिनिधित्व सुनिश्चित करने के कर्तव्यों के साथ 3 उपाध्यक्ष मनोनीत अधिकृत किया गया है. परिषद ने कार्यकारी समिति है, जो अधिक बार से मिलता है और परिषद द्वारा लिए गए निर्णयों को कार्यान्वित elects. सभी कार्यालय निर्वाचित / पदाधिकारियों मानद नियुक्तियों हैं नामित किया है.
IESL Webpage: click here

5 Technology Trends to Watch

©Consumer Electronics Association 2010
• THE PULSE OF TECHNOLOGY- CEA PRESIDENT AND CEO Gary Shapiro
• SELLING THE STORIES OF OUR LIVES: TECHNOLOGY AND PRIVACY- SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INDUSTRY AFFAIRS Jason Oxman
• THE FUTURE OF VIDEO DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION- SENIOR DIRECTOR, PUBLICATIONS Cindy Loffler Stevens
• A COMPUTER IN EVERY POCKET, 4G IN EVERY TOWN- MANAGER, PUBLICATIONS Carolyn Slater
• IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN OR IS IT? SENIOR COORDINATOR, PUBLICATIONS Mark Chisholm
• THE FUTURE OF APPS- SENIOR MANAGER, CREATIVE DIRECTION Octavio Kano
• ARE WE DRIVING TECHNOLOGY OR IS IT DRIVING US?- GRAPHIC DESIGNER, CREATIVE SERVICES Ian Shields
click here to read all the above articles: Gives an overview of future trends in Video, Computers and Internet Apps

Qualcomm: The Future is an Internet of Everything

Paul Jacobs, Chairman and CEO, Qualcomm
Qualcomm based in San Diego California invented CDMA Technology. They proved the technology in New Delhi in collaboration with BSNL. The Company Celebrates 25 years of existence.

The Future is an Internet of Everything
Wireless has become the largest technology platform in human history and Qualcomm is the world leader in the development of the underlying technologies that enable next-generation mobile devices and experiences. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, San Diego-based Qualcomm continues to drive the evolution of wireless worldwide and accelerate mobile growth and progress by pioneering exciting new solutions that are redefining what is possible in mobile.

This session highlights Qualcomm's vision for an "Internet of Everything" and what the Company is doing now to make vision of a totally connected world possible. Among the topics and trends expected to be covered are augmented reality, mobile social networking and recommendations, opportunities in emerging markets, wireless health, Qualcomm's breakthrough screen display technology, advanced network topology and of course, next-generation wireless air interfaces.

Milestones
A Qualcomm Quarter-Century By Joseph Perkins1985: Qualcomm founded in the den of former UCSD professor Irwin Jacobs’ La Jolla home.
1986: Files for a patent on using code division multiple access (CDMA) for mobile communications.
1987: Qualcomm records $6.5 million in revenue and $208,000 in net income for first full year.
1988: Introduces first commercial product, OmniTRACS, a satellite tracking system used by long-haul trucking companies.
1989: Brings some 250 cell phone executives to San Diego to demonstrate its CDMA technology, which allows 10 times more calls in the same amount of radio spectrum as a competing cellular technology.
1991: IPO raises $73.6 million. Trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol QCOM.
1993: CDMA is adopted by the Telecommunications Industry Association as a North American digital standard for cell phones.
1997: Pays $18 million to rename the San Diego Chargers' home to Qualcomm Stadium.
1998: Spins off Leap Wireless, today the nation’s seventh largest wireless carrier, on the strength of its subsidiary, Cricket Wireless.
1999: Joins the exalted ranks of both the Fortune 500 and S&P 500.
1999: Stock price increases an exponential 2,619 percent in a 12-month period, as several dozen local investors become “Quillionaires.”
2004: Creates MediaFLO division, which uses Qualcomm technology to transmit video and data to mobile devices, enabling users to watch live television on their cell phones.
2005: Irwin Jacobs retires as CEO, succeeded by Paul Jacobs, his third son.
2005: Becomes the world’s largest mobile chipset provider.
2010: San Diego’s largest company celebrates its 25th anniversary, with more than 16,000 employees worldwide and market capitalization of $60 billion.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Qualcomm
•Qualcomm stands for Quality Communications.
•Chairman and CEO Paul Jacobs boasts more patents than his father, founder Irwin Jacobs.
•Famed actress Hedy Lamarr was co-inventor of the technology that led to Qualcomm’s commercial development of CDMA, the nation’s cellular communications standard.
•Qualcomm’s first office was in a humble La Jolla strip mall, above a dry cleaner and pizza parlor, in Holiday Court off La Jolla Village Drive.
•Hal and Jeff Jacobs, second and fourth sons of founder Irwin, are members of the Pelican Group, a San Diego production company that helped bankroll the hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys
A Qualcomm Quarter-Century
More about Qualcomm- Click here

National and Personal Security: Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

Keep off social networking sites, Army tells its men
The Army has told its officers to keep off social networking sites and refrain from posting sensitive information like their rank, unit or posting location on the Internet. The instructions follow a spate of cyber attacks targeting military personnel and fears that foreign agencies could be tracking networking sites like Orkut and Facebook to home in on Army officers. Under the strict provisions of the Army Act, personnel can be dismissed from service and even face imprisonment for sharing sensitive information that can be accessed by outside agencies.
Click links below:
Keep off social networking sites, Army tells its men
Army warning on networking sites, officials posting info to face action
National Security: Army Major's computer was accessed from Pakistan- earlier RMS Blog post

Staying Safe on Social Network Sites
The popularity of social networking sites continues to increase, especially among teenagers and young adults. The nature of these sites introduces security risks, so you should take certain precautions.

How can you protect yourself?
Limit the amount of personal information you post - Do not post information that would make you vulnerable, such as your address or information about your schedule or routine. If your connections post information about you, make sure the combined information is not more than you would be comfortable with strangers knowing. Also be considerate when posting information, including photos, about your connections.

Remember that the internet is a public resource - Only post information you are comfortable with anyone seeing. This includes information and photos in your profile and in blogs and other forums. Also, once you post information online, you can't retract it. Even if you remove the information from a site, saved or cached versions may still exist on other people's machines (see Guidelines for Publishing Information Online for more information).

Be wary of strangers - The internet makes it easy for people to misrepresent their identities and motives (see Using Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely for more information). Consider limiting the people who are allowed to contact you on these sites. If you interact with people you do not know, be cautious about the amount of information you reveal or agreeing to meet them in person.

Be skeptical - Don't believe everything you read online. People may post false or misleading information about various topics, including their own identities. This is not necessarily done with malicious intent; it could be unintentional, an exaggeration, or a joke. Take appropriate precautions, though, and try to verify the authenticity of any information before taking any action.

Evaluate your settings - Take advantage of a site's privacy settings. The default settings for some sites may allow anyone to see your profile. You can customize your settings to restrict access to only certain people. However, there is a risk that even this private information could be exposed, so don't post anything that you wouldn't want the public to see. Also, be cautious when deciding which applications to enable, and check your settings to see what information the applications will be able to access.

Use strong passwords - Protect your account with passwords that cannot easily be guessed (see Choosing and Protecting Passwords for more information). If your password is compromised, someone else may be able to access your account and pretend to be you.

Check privacy policies - Some sites may share information such as email addresses or user preferences with other companies. This may lead to an increase in spam (see Reducing Spam for more information). Also, try to locate the policy for handling referrals to make sure that you do not unintentionally sign your friends up for spam. Some sites will continue to send email messages to anyone you refer until they join.

Use and maintain anti-virus software - Anti-virus software recognizes most known viruses and protects your computer against them, so you may be able to detect and remove the virus before it can do any damage (see Understanding Anti-Virus Software for more information). Because attackers are continually writing new viruses, it is important to keep your definitions up to date.

Do not use pirated software or programs.

Children are especially susceptible to the threats that social networking sites present. Although many of these sites have age restrictions, children may misrepresent their ages so that they can join. By teaching children about internet safety, being aware of their online habits, and guiding them to appropriate sites, parents can make sure that the children become safe and responsible users (see Keeping Children Safe Online for more information).
Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

Time for Indian Military to have its official blogs

Sunday, May 9, 2010
US Navy starts its official blog
The US Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, inaugurated the US Navy’s official blog recently : Navy Live

The effort seems refreshing in the military blogosphere more so in the light of the free and frank discussion between various participants including the Secretary. An example can be seen by clicking here.

The blog seems in line with the thought process of militaries of (mostly) democracies in shedding the cloak (or more appropriately the burden) of secrecy, especially on societal and administrative issues. Such a medium is also sometimes essential keeping in view the fact that sometimes the pulse of service-members does not reach the right levels of the hierarchy due to layers and layers of officialdom and red-tape.

The US Navy is available officially also on twitter, flickr, youtube and facebook.
Way to go.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:06 AM

Lt Col arrested for posting illegal content over Internet

NDTV Correspondent, Friday May 7, 2010, Mumbai
A serving Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jagmohan Balbir Singh, has been arrested in Mumbai for disseminating child pornography over the Internet.

Forty two-year-old Singh was arrested by the Cyber Cell in Mumbai on Thursday and will stay in police custody till May 12.

Singh allegedly posted and downloaded pornographic photos of foreign children between the ages of 3 and 10 on the internet. The German Federal Bureau spotted the photos on a child pornography site and traced the pictures to India. Interpol was alerted which then passed on the information to India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) who passed it onto the Mumbai Crime Branch.

The Mumbai police has taken two hard drives from Singh's house as evidence against him.

A spokesperson for the Army said Singh has been on study leave, and is currently not attached to any unit. He also confirmed that the Army will apply for bail so that it can deal with Singh's case.
Lt Col arrested for child pornography

What is Hacking and Phishing attacks?: Click here for information and prevention

Lessons Learnt: There is so much of illegal content and traffic on the Internet. ESM should not involve or be a party to chain letters, spam and fwd messages. Do keep your email box free of spam. Visiting Adult sites freely will upload virus and worms which enables the computer to be hacked. Keep all security features of the OS operational on daily basis. Hacked PCs enable others to operate your computer remotely without being aware of it. It is likely many retired/ serving officers are not aware of hacking virus. One should have legal Operating System and not a Pirated version as it is very easy to hack a pirated Operating System than a legal one.
Lastly family members and peer groups are important pressure groups to ensure men do not fall victim to porn addiction- as at times it can become more dangerous than alcohol addiction. Generally soldiers posted to NE states are more prone to porn addiction due to frustrating living environment and lack of entertainment facilities and recreation. The Military needs to fight sex and porn addiction with same fever and vigour as combating alcohol and drug related addictions. The disease can prove devastating if not curbed and nipped at the bud. Curiousity is one sex gratification another but addiction is a disease and needs treatment and counselling.

BSNL Broadband offers 20% discount to ESM

The scheme is to be launched from 1 December 2008 across BSNL network and is a continuous scheme.

The serving and retired government employees applying for Broadband Connection under this scheme, should furnish an undertaking countersigned by their Drawing and Disbursing Officer regarding their bonafide along with the application. In case of retired employees, an attested copy of the Pension Pay Order should be submitted along with the application. The application should be marked as “FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES SCHEME”.

The scheme is also applicable to existing Broadband customers who are serving/retired government employees subject to their furnishing an undertaking as detailed above. The discount of 20% in Broadband Service charges for the existing customers will also be applicable if they apply,from the month of such application.

Source: Broadband for Government Employees
BSNL official news availabe at: BSNL webpage

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