Cyber Criminals on the Prowl: Defence Personnel easy prey?

80 Indians fall prey to cyber fraud every minute
Published: Monday, Sep 17, 2012, 9:00 IST
By Sunchika B Pandey | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
If most of us have gone mobile, so have the cyber criminals. And like many of us, most of their time is being spent on the social networking sites. The cyber criminals are making a living out of it.
According to Norton Cybercrime Report 2012, 66% of Indian online adults have been a victim of cyber fraud in their lifetime. In the past 12 months, 56% of online adults in India have experienced cyber fraud.
As per the report, at least 1,15,000 people fall prey to cyber fraud every day, while 80 per minute and more than one per second leading to a rise in the average direct financial cost per victim to around Rs10,500.
According to the survey, the cybercriminals have now shifted their focus to the increasingly popular social platforms. One in three adults online Indians (32%) have been either social or mobile cybercrime victims.
While most internet users delete suspicious emails and are careful with their personal details online. However, 25% don’t use complex passwords or change their passwords frequently and 38% do not check for the padlock symbol in the browser before entering sensitive personal information.
Online adults are also unaware of the evolution of most common forms of cybercrime. In fact, 68% of adults do not know that malware can operate in a discreet fashion, making it hard to know if a computer has been compromised, and one third (35%) are not certain that their computer is currently clean and free of viruses.
“Malware and viruses used to wreak obvious havoc on your computer,” said Ibrahim. “You’d get a blue screen, or your computer would crash, alerting you to an infection. But cyber criminals have evolved new methods to avoid detection,” added Ibrahim.
80 Indians fall prey to cyber fraud every minute
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No More Panic Button

Get Eyewatch for free on your Mobile Phone
1. In a bid to reach out to veterans to provide support to those who are staying all alone, a signal service through SMS has been thought of by DG Signals and had approached M/S “Eyewatch’ who have developed a free of cost, easy to use ‘Emergency Alert Application’ that can be easily installed on certain mobile phones which are GPRS activated.
2. This application can be very useful in any emergency situation. The application can trigger emergency alert via SMS and Email to your trusted contacts instantly informing them of your emergency situation. The application is also capable of tracking your location, recording an audio and video (or photos) of the situation automatically and displaying this information to your trusted contacts on a secure webpage. Important features of this application are:

Emergency Response Contacts
You can register your trusted contacts as your Emergency Response Contacts (ERC) to be contacted at the time of any emergency situation by Emergency Alert activation by press/click of a button.

Location & Live Tracking
The application instantly notifies your contacts of your current location, if you are in an emergency situation.

Audio and Visual
The application automatically records a 30 second pre- alert emergency audio and a 20 second post alert video or 5 photos and displays these to your trusted contacts on a secure webpage.

Auto Connect
The application instantly connects you to your contacts by calling them in a sequential manner.

Safety Confirm
The application informs your contacts of your location when you are safe, without raising any emergency alert.

3. The Eyewatch application presently works on Symbian (Nokia), Blackberry and Android Smartphone with an active GPRS connection. The application can easily be downloaded by the following means:
(a) Through SMS: SMS “Eyewatch IA” to 53030 from your mobile phone. You will receive a download link: http://bit.ly/eyewatchalertapp Click on this link and select the application build which works on your phone. This link can also be obtained from the website http://ia.eye-watch.in by entering your mobile number in the “Download Eyewatch” section.
(b) Through Internet On the internet, go to, http://ia.eye-watch.in click on the download eyewatch’ section on top right corner, select your mobile phone operating system and download the application on your computer/laptop and then use your USB cable to transfer the application to your phone. This is an exclusive link created for the Indian Army Veterans, Families and Ex-servicemen. Once downloaded, each user is requested to create an Eyewatch account either from within the application or from the website http://ia.eye-watch.in. You can choose a username and password of your choice and fill in your relevant details to create an account.
4. For more information, please visit EyeWatch
5. Veterans are encouraged to use this service.

Ex Servicemen burgled of his life savings

Gang decamps with 40 sovereigns of gold from ex-serviceman's house
Jan 2, 2012, 12.50AM IST TNN
COIMBATORE: Unidentified gang gained entry into an ex-serviceman's house at Theethiapalayam near Perur on and decamped with 40 sovereigns of gold jewels and 6 kg of silver articles. Forensic experts have lifted fingerprints from the crime scene and a special team has been formed to nab the culprits.
According to the police, Sivakumar (40), an ex-serviceman, is working as an office assistant at the ex-servicemens' welfare association office in the city. He went with his family to Vellore to offer prayers in a temple on December 28.
Meanwhile, an unidentified gang entered into Sivakumar's house by breaking open the front door. They had fled from the house after stealing 40 sovereigns of gold jewels and 6 kg's of silver from an almirah in the house. When Sivakumar and his family came back from Vellore on Saturday evening, they found front door of the house broken and the house burgled.
Immediately, Sivakumar alerted the Perur police and a team rushed to the spot with sniffer dog, but was unable to get any clue. Later, forensic experts lifted inger prints from the house.
A special team has been formed to nab the culprits. Police have decided to intensify the night patrol in the area.
Gang decamps with 40 sovereigns of gold from ex-serviceman's house

Comment: Tamilnadu has become a haven for dacoits from Bihar, UP, Andhra, Orissa and MP to freely operate- burgle and escape. It has been revealed they fly in- get information from locals on Mobile phone- burgle or snatch gold ornaments and make a clean and speedy exit leaving the police clueless!
The local informers mostly on two wheelers track customers addresses when they withdraw cash from ATMs, banks and and purchase Gold ornaments and pass them on to professional burglars from other states. Ex Servicemen need to be more extra security concious and be as vigilant as in service.

Encroachments and Security of Cantonment Lands

Inquiry into NOC on IAF Land in Srinagar
On receipt of complaint a preliminary enquiry was conducted into the matter related to issuing of No Objection Certificate (NOC) on Air Force’s land in Srinagar. It was found that prima-facie there have been irregularities in the issue ofNOCs which may have wider implications. In order to get the matter thoroughly investigated and fix responsibility the Government have entrusted the enquiry to CBI.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in written reply to ShrimatiHemaMalini in Rajya Sabha today.
PK /NN (Release ID :77400)
Inquiry into NOC on IAF Land in Srinagar

Need to Amend Provision Regarding Permission of C-in-C for Transfer of Property in Cantt Areas
As per Governor General Order No.179 dated 12thSeptember, 1836, whenever a value of house, buildings or property exceeds Rs.5000/-, the sale can be effected only with the prior sanction of the Government.
Representations have been received and matter of raising the limit Rs.5000/¬- is under consideration.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in written reply to Shri AvinashRaiKhanna in Rajya Sabha today. PK /NN
(Release ID :77407)
Need to Amend Provision Regarding Permission of C-in-C for Transfer of Property in Cantt Areas

DGR Sponsored Security Agencies

Message For Security Agencies
All Principle Employers and DGR Sponsored Security agencies are requested to ensure that all provisions of Private Security Agencies (Regulations) Act, 2005 and Rules, as applicable in the state they are working in, including Licence from respective States are being strictly adhered to. Principle,(mkmk?) employers are also requested to ensure adherence to the same, before giving any contracts.
DGR Webpage
The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005
List of defaulting Security Agencies
PIOs Nominated for RTI
DGR Demystified

Comment: Most of the DGR sponsored Security Agencies are violating all norms stipulated in the Security Act-2005. None of the directives are enforceable or punishable. Till date not one violator has been prosecuted nor imprisoned! We need to throw this ACT in the dustbin. Stricter and enforceable laws need to be drawn out so that not only money spinners do not cheat the system, but also the Retired Jawans employed as Security Personnel are not taken for a ride.

A phone application that threatens security

Press Trust of India, Updated: October 04, 2010 09:58 IST
London: A cheap mobile phone application that can track the precise location of passenger aircraft in the sky can be a serious terrorist threat, security experts have claimed and called for its immediate ban.

The Plane Finder AR application, developed by a British firm for the Apple iPhone and Google's Android, allows users to point their phone at the sky and see the position, height and speed of nearby aircraft.

It also shows the airline, flight number, departure point, destination and even the likely course-the features which could be used to target an aircraft with a surface-to-air missile, or to direct another plane on to a collision course, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

The programme, sold for just 1.79 pounds in the online Apple store, has now been labelled an 'aid to terrorists' by security experts and the US Department of Homeland Security

Read more at: A phone application that threatens security

False cases against security forces

1,473 "false" cases of HR violation against security forces By Abhijit C Chandra
Bhopal, Sep 10 (UNI) Slamming the proposed dilution of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), an Indian Army veteran who combated insurgencies for more than half of his 40 years' service points out that --since 1990 -- as many as 1,473 of 1,511 cases of human rights (HR) violation or abuse levelled against security forces (SF) personnel have been proved false.
"Each case was investigated thoroughly -- including by the National Human Rights Commission. In the remaining cases, 104 personnel were punished," Major-General (Retd) Aditya J B Jaini, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, told UNI.
He was Senior Directing Staff (Army) at the National Defence College, New Delhi, before retirement in 2003.
Enumerating grim statistics, the veteran said, "the number of SF personnel killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir between 1988 and July 5, 2010 is 5,962. Since 1992, the number of officers and men martyred fighting insurgents in Manipur is 939, Asom 783, Meghalaya 81 and Mizoram 22."
Likewise, SF personnel slain fighting naxals since 2005 to July 10, 2010 is 1,226. This year, 204 SF personnel were killed till July 5.
"If SF personnel were 'murderers' they would not have so many of their own killed at the hands of insurgents. Besides, AFSPA enshrines the important caveat that Army personnel can be prosecuted with central sanction. Therefore there is no blanket immunity," said Maj-Gen Jaini.
Dispensation of punishment -- in cases of HR violation -- where any breach is identified, is the "fastest in the Army" as compared to civil courts where cases may linger for years.
The Act is not meant to place the Army or SF above the law but to empower them to function effectively while dealing with situations that have defied resolution through normal means like intervention by civil authority, police action and calls by politicians to maintain calm, he said.
"In counter-insurgency operations, the Army adheres to the cardinal principle of use of minimum force as people we operate against are not enemy but our own countrymen who are misguided. Had it not been so, the rate of casualties to our troops would not have been so high," the veteran explained.

Cyber war: Indian Army gearing up

Times of India Jul 19, 2010, 04.19pm IST
NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is fighting attacks in the cyber world with electronic warfare capability of the "highest standard", say officials pointing out that virtual strikes have shot up from hostile quarters in both sophistication and frequency.

"The army is cognisant of the threat to its cyber space from various state and non-state actors. But our network is well secured in compliance with the highest standards of cyber security," a senior official in the military headquarters told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The official said the army has established an "impenetrable and secure wide area network exclusively for its functioning".

Officials in the 1.3 million force privately admit they are facing "next generation threats" and are rather worried over the complex world of cyber warfare amid reports of Chinese and Pakistani spies targeting the Indian military establishment via the internet.

Though attacks from hackers - professional or amateur - can come from anywhere in the world, cyber onslaughts have been more frequent from China and Pakistan, which have reportedly been peeking into India's sensitive business, diplomatic and strategic records.

As per reports from the cyber industry, China and Pakistan hackers steal nearly six million files worldwide every day.

A report in the US-based Defence Systems magazine found that there were 25 million new strains of malware created in 2009. That equals a new strain of malware every 0.79 seconds. The report underlines how the current cyber threat environment is dramatically changing and becoming more challenging as the clock ticks.

Howevever, the Indian army is confident.

Revealing that secret information had been secured with unhackable electronic passwords, the official said various "cryptographic controls" have been incorporated in the wake of a significant number of viruses, worms and other forms of malware.

To address cyber defence, which is also under threat from terrorist outfits that have their own trained recruits, officials said the army frequently upgrades its comprehensive cyber security policy to pro-actively deal with and anticipate these threats.

The force has established the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to respond to attacks targeting the army's critical systems and infrastructure.

Another official said the army has its own cyber audit process conducted by cyber security personnel.

"The audit is conducted in accordance with established security standards such as ISO 27001. Audit of the network is a continuous and active process which helps identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities in a network to counter latest threats as also check the network for cyber security policy compliance," he said.

However, the official admitted there was no room for complacency in times of rapid technological change.

"In the area of cyber space, the battle between hackers and defenders is an ongoing process, influenced by latest technological developments. Due to the dynamic nature of threats, the army is constantly upgrading its network," he said.

Technology alone, however, cannot guarantee "fool-proof security", he said, adding the "Indian Army therefore emphasises on the people and the process to achieve compliance of best practices in this field".

"Regular training programmes are being conducted to enhance user awareness and counter threats like social engineering and phishing," he said.
Cyber war: Indian Army gearing up

Appointment of ex-servicemen could improve service performance

Studies suggest that those sectors where the services of ex-servicemen have been solicited, these sectors have done reasonably well. Therefore, one solution offered is roping in of ex-servicemen for rendering services.
CJ: Vishnu Mohan Tue, May 18, 2010 15:26:11 IST

SOME INDUSTRIAL sectors, both in the government and private, are plagued with issues of corruption and pilferage, resulting in loss in earnings.

One example is that of government undertaking known as Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL). Coal is considered to be black gold but it is surprising that (BCCL) is unable to make tangible profits till date since inception.The question is what is hampering the organisation from making profits.

Part of the coal mines owned by this company is in a place called Jharia, Dhanbad (also known as Jharia Coal Mines) is beset with issues like constant burning of coal resulting in depleting the stocks and also good quality coals are lost in this way every day. There have been good studies made in 2004, by experts involving both from United States of Americas and Canada but I am not sure whether their recommendations for setting this issue rights have been implemented in good spirit as of now. Due to the constant burning of the coal the loss incurred is huge besides causing hardship to local inhabitants surrounding the place and also acute environmental hazard. This is one of the reasons why infrastructure development on a modern scale is not forthcoming in this ‘black gold deposit’ region.

There are also reports that e-auctioning done by Coal India Ltd is not proper; there seem to be gross irregularity in the whole process preventing free flow of bidders to exercise their rights of bidding. The process of e-auctioning has been controversial since its start in 2004 due to lack of transparency in the bidding process and malpractices exercised by some influential buyers who restricted other buyers from entering the bidding process.

Like the above example of BCCL, there are many other organisations both in public and private sectors which are failing to give in good performances. Studies suggest that those sectors where the services of ex-servicemen have been solicited, these sectors have done reasonably well. Therefore, one solution offered is roping in of ex-servicemen for rendering services to units like BCCL in bringing about complete transformation for the better. Their service nature could include the following:

The chief of security should be an ex servicemen;

Security staff to be strengthened in a big way;

More power and responsibilities given to these staff for having better control.
Some successful organisations have benefitted immensely by apponting ex servicemen for bettering their performance especially in controlling pilferage and lack of administration.

Therefore, it is suggested, that those ex servicemen who are willing to offer their services for bettering the performance of under performing organisations both in public and private sectors should be strongly encouraged.
Appointment of ex-servicemen could improve service performance

Indian wizard behind bars for hacking accounts and online computer frauds

Chennai-born man sentenced to 81 months' jail
WASHINGTON: A U.S. court has sentenced Jaisankar Marimuthu, a 36-year-old native of Chennai, to 81 months in prison on charges of identity thefts, hacking and perpetrating an international fraud scheme. The accused was hacking into online brokerage accounts in the U.S. and used the accounts to manipulate stock prices, said Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant Attorney-General with the criminal division. Marimuthu pleaded guilty on February 5 to one count of conspiracy to committing the online securities and computer frauds, as also aggravated identity theft before a district magistrate at Omaha, Nebraska.

The accused, who was extradited to the U.S. following his arrest in Hong Kong, was sentenced on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp, and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution, court officials said.

Marimuthu was part of a conspiracy that operated out of Thailand and India from February 2006 to December 2006, in which the prices of thinly-traded securities were fraudulently inflated by hacking into U.S. brokerage accounts. — IANS
Chennai-born man sentenced to 81 months' jail

ESM: Dependants of Defence Security Personnel Neglected

The Defence Security Corps, with 31,000 personnel, provides security at Defence Ministry sites. The role of Defence Security Corps is to ensure the protection and security of designated Defence Installations against sabotage and pilferage.

The Defence Department Constabulary Centre, now known as Defence Security Corps (DSC), was raised on 25th April 1947 at Muthura in Uttar Pradesh. The centre moved to Delhi on 3rd May 1947. It was formed in the form of a semi-police force with police title and badges of ranks. In 1948, military titles and badges of ranks were given to the DSC. In August 1958, the Corps was re-organised and redesignated as Defence Security Corps-DSC and brought under the control of Army Headquarters.

The DSC and Records moved from Delhi to Chkrata in UP in April 1959 and then to Kannur on 21st November 1961. The centre imparts training to ex-service personnel of Army, Navy, Air Force and Territorial Army and recruits them to various agencies under the Army, Navy, Air Force and Territorial Army and to the Directorate General of Ordinance Factories and Directorate General of Research and Development. The DSC is a ministry of defence force, it comprises mainly superannuated soldiers who are re-employed for a few years.

Dilemma of DSC Personnel: ALARMING DIAGNOSTIC COSTS POOR CANNOT AFFORD
Recently I happened to accompany the wife of a DSC Sepoy for emergency medical treatment. The DSC Sepoy is serving in J&K Area and his wife and three children are living in a village in Southern Tamil Nadu. The DSC Sepoy and his families are eligible for free medical treatment in the Army hospitals. But in this case his family could not avail any free army hospital facility as she is living in a non-military area. Also they cannot avail ECHS facility as her husband is a serving in DSC.

First for emergency, I took her to a Taluk level government hospital. The patient was having severe pain in the lower abdomen, unable to bear and started running here and there. A lady doctor in the government hospital attended her for emergency and later advised her to take so many diagnostic tests like, ultra sound scan, CT Scan, Xray, ECG and so forth. The above diagnostic facilities are not available in the government hospital. Finally I took her to a private hospital in a nearby town district head quarters. The Specialist in the private hospital wrote down a list of diagnostic tests to be conducted before starting any treatment. She was admitted on the morning of 29.03.09. The following tests were conducted:

Blood & urine analysis Rs.1000

Xray Rs. 500

Abdomen USG scan Rs. 500

Abdomen CT scan with IV Rs.4750

ECG & Eco cardiograph Rs.1000

Medicine/antibiotics Rs.1500
Total Rs.9250 (Room rent and other hospital bills not included. Still the actual treatment not started)

For the last 3 days I am running here helping the patient undergo above diagnostic tests. Still the specialist doctor is unable to find out what is the cause of severe pain in the abdomen. In 3 days the poor Sepoy’s family has paid around Rs.10,000/- for diagnostic tests only. But so far no relief from the pain. The visiting specialist doctors do not tell anything except advice to conduct more and more tests. The patient has paid all the hospital bills by pledging her jewels to a pawn broker for urgent medical diagnosis.

Now the patient’s pain is more about the expenses than her actual abdomen pain. This is the condition of a serving DSC’s family (separated). Will the MOD and the ECHS authorities do something for free treatment at the ECHS polyclinics in the area where Jawans families are in dire medical need?

C Muthukrishnan, (Ex Sgt)

The spam mail in your inbox could be a terrorist's handiwork

Press Trust of India
Friday, February 06, 2009, (New Delhi)
Watch out! The spam mail that just hit your inbox could be a encrypted information from a terrorist to his companions.

With terrorists using Internet and other communication technologies to plan, plot and carry out their subversive activities, intelligence agencies reckon that some of the millions of spam mails that are sent out daily, could be the handiwork of these groups.

"Numerous software's and websites are now available through which one can easily send spam to numerous e-mail account holders. Terrorists, who are now more tech savvy than before are sending out encrypted messages to millions including the one actually it is meant for," a senior Home Ministry official said.

Explaining the rationale behind sending out a secret message to millions to avoid any risks, the official said, "99 per cent of the people don't even bother to check spam mails which usually get delivered in the spam box because of strong firewall of e-mail service providers. Usually people just delete them. Moreover, the message is in encrypted form and hence any ordinary person would not be able to decipher it."

Adding to spam mails, multimedia files like pictures, audio and video files are another source of sending coded information.
The spam mail in your inbox could be a terrorist's handiwork

Caution: One should not indulge in transmitting forwarded messages (Fwd). These messages constitute bulk of spam messages to hit our mailboxes daily. Unknown messages in the inbox should be treated as spam and deleted. Kindly have an updated mailing list and scrutinise every week as some spam addresses crawl into the mailing list, which in turn detects hundreds of addresses for spamming. My mailbox is filled with same mail from several sources. We need to exercise caution before hitting a send button. One must delete chain messages, which are real spam multipliers.
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