Intelligence & National Security Discussion

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 30 Mar 2010 03:38

India shoring up presence along border with China

India on Monday said it is shoring up its military presence in the northern borders and upgrading infrastructure along the border with China in the light of Beijing's rapid infrastructure development and its upgraded military force projection in Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang province.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 30 Mar 2010 11:59

Klaus wrote:Sarwan Dass is still guilty for falsely implicating his Group Captain and causing him mental, emotional and bodily damage for 14 years.

Agree with that, but then why spare the other senior "afsar sahebs" who also played dirty games here? Sarwan Dass is a PBOR. He alone could not have caused so much damage, if he was not helped/tortured/coerced by senior officers. In case of any senior officers are found guilty, they should be made to pay for it too (cashiered, pensions with held, gallantry awards taken away etc, and finally placed in a civil jail as a common prisoner).

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 30 Mar 2010 12:51

This is an old, old case.... Unlikely to be anyone left who was involved. Sad for the personnel involved...

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 30 Mar 2010 13:07

I have seen one of the houses (in Dilli) which was apparently used for the interrogations for some of the Samba accused. I think it is still there - you can walk by it and not give it a second glance.

sampat · Post by **sampat** » 30 Mar 2010 13:21

Shameek wrote:
rohitvats wrote:The Sambha Spy Case is one of the biggest blot on the Indian Army. It ruined the lives and career of so many Army Officers and PBOR and their families. Times Now was running a documentary on it yesterday. Truly shocking. These men deserve their rightful honor and dignity; something that was taken away from them.
IIRC Capt. Rathaur's complete story is available online.

it's here http://www.childplanet.com/english/samba/index.html

marked it for weekend reading.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 31 Mar 2010 08:43

Is the cyber threat overblown?

http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201 ... _overblown

Prabu · Post by **Prabu** » 31 Mar 2010 18:50

VinodTK wrote:Rising Dragon, Slumbering Elephant: Chinese and Indian Defense Planning

Chinese defense spending is noteworthy in that investments in capabilities have gone hand in hand with organizational and doctrinal reforms in the People's Liberation Army, increased sophistication of the domestic defense industry, and special emphasis on research and development (R&D). At no point did China let money become a constraint on its modernization and reform drives. For instance, when the global financial crisis spread to the Chinese defense industry, Beijing quickly responded by infusing it with a $60 billion stimulus package.

By contrast, there is hardly a consistent pattern in India's defense spending over the last two decades. In some years, the defense budget registered growth of as high as 34 percent, and in others, as low as half a percent. This lack of linear growth in defense expenditures is indicative of deficiencies in the existing planning process.

The problem is, We woke up to chinese rapid defense spending and infra structure building, and its "string of pearl" strategy very very late !!! (I remember asking this DEFENCE PLANNING part atleast in my earlier one of my earlier post too ! I am still not clear how this over all planning works !)
India needs clear Vision, clear Strategy in defence spending and modern infrastructure, deployed Missiles (AGNI 5's/Surya's all ranges, 360 degree with nuke capabilty) in 3 services , Modern Sub marines, warships, Ultra modern tanks ( still we are evaluating Arjunes !

) and weopons, fighter jets, proven deployed missile shield, proven thermo nuclear bombs, Laser test facility, think tanks, Lots of Innovation etc etc etc

(One recent report in "economic times" says, Indians lacks Innovation !!!)
What happend to the implementation of Mr.Subramaniam's Kargil commitee report ? I ask RM/HM and babu's, who are reading this.

As a Indian public I know, home ministry has got a brillinat Minister ever, in the Indian history ! but can we see some RAPID actions on Kargil commitee implementation completion ? I mean the implementation of the last line !!

Let us make the difference ! after all our neibhours don't sleep, they are busy planning a new strategy to harm us !!

Do you hear me Home Minister ? I hope you will NOT like me asking "You too Mr. Chidambaram ?"

Mr_Li · Post by **Mr_Li** » 31 Mar 2010 22:24

Regarding thread topic National Security Discusssion:

China is building up its military rapidly but it is also building up its Cities, Infrastructure, education etc.

China paranoia is understandable based on 1962 experience. But China's priority is not to wage war with India or to grab a piece of land in Arunachal Pradesh. (AP issue is a red herring)

They see USA, Russia, and Japan as bigger threats and they also want to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan which is a more distinct possibility.

China as a threat to India should be seen in a larger perspective (i.e. energy sources, trade wars, food / water supplies).

China / Pak are also not as close as one would think because its image of being allied with the failed state does not help China. (at present China sees pak more as an export market for its new planes and ships - Pak does not have money to pay for it is a different matter).

India should do everything to modernize the military to the extent it inflicts a severe blow to the chinese within the allowed budget. (Like Vietnam did to the chinese in 1979). Link

Thus it is ever more important that India build up its defensinve capabilities without making too much fuss (examples: public discussion on failed nuclear tests, public discussion on ABM, public discussion on ATV, public discussion on IAC) - too much disussion of delays, tests, procurement process is giving a potential enemy enough understanding about what is going on. It is about time a strong leadership stamps out much public discussion and data sharing on defense hardware.

Summary: Fight the enemy within first.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 31 Mar 2010 22:48

Finally Mr Li reveals that he is from India.
Advice such as - : public discussion on failed nuclear tests - these were topic exactly what the blogs were talking about

Mr_Li · Post by **Mr_Li** » 31 Mar 2010 23:35

Sorry: I am Taiwan Baptist Christian. But that is off topic.

(By public discussion I do not mean discussion on this forum, no one gives a hoot about that. But public discussion I mean public spat between prominent scientists, public politiking by IA vs DRDO, public announcements of future capabilities that squash the expectations when not met, so far it seems ISRO one model agency that quietly goes about doing its job. Others need a good press policy and press face. Also good marketing strategy and execution. DRDO needs to have a business side that manages the customer. And a business side speaks business language and not necessarily archaic science language, because the end users (customers) are not scientists, they are soldiers)

Carl_T · Post by **Carl_T** » 01 Apr 2010 00:11

Mr_Li wrote:Sorry: I am Taiwan Baptist Christian. But that is off topic.

If you're Taiwanese, why is your name "Li" instead of the Taiwanese "Lee"?

Certainly, if it is not your real name, a Chinese user id?

Mr_Li · Post by **Mr_Li** » 01 Apr 2010 00:16

< deleted OT junk >

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 01 Apr 2010 01:05

NEWS BLURB: Iran nuclear scientist defects to U.S. A prize-winning physicist is helping the CIA confirm suspicions about Iran's nuclear program. More on this later!

Report: Nuclear Scientist Quits Iran for US

..................
hahram Amiri -- an expert in radioactive isotopes at Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, which has close ties to the Revolutionary Guard -- mysteriously vanished in June, just three day after arriving in Mecca for the annual Haj pilgrimage. News of his disappearance was only made public in the fall, when Iran accused the U.S. of kidnapping the researcher (believed to be in his early 30s) with the help of Saudi intelligence.
..................

archan · Post by **archan** » 01 Apr 2010 02:00

Carl_T, you have a propensity of asking OT questions. Please respect the thread where you are posting. Acharya, guessing a user's location is not considered acceptable in BRF. Moreover, this thread is about Intelligence and National Security, not about how much intelligence you have on a user's location.
Mr. Li, I have warned you twice, and I am sure more are coming.

Carl_T · Post by **Carl_T** » 01 Apr 2010 02:04

archan wrote:Carl_T, you have a propensity of asking OT questions.

Indeed, my bad sir.

shravan · Post by **shravan** » 01 Apr 2010 16:03

Illegal madrassas a breeding ground of terror
April 01, 2010

Vicky Nanjappa

Intelligence agencies are worried about nearly 9,000 illegal madrassas which have mushroomed across India without requisite approval by the authorities.

India has over 21,000 registered madrassas approved by the respective state governments and the Wakf Board.

IB sources say efforts are on to shut down illegal madrassas and the state authorities have been warned about their operations. Intelligence officials suspect Pakistan-based outfits may be using these illegal madrassas to carry out their operations in India, after the crackdown on terror modules and sleeper cells.

IB officials say nearly 3,000 illegal madrassas have been set up in the last year, with Maharashtra and Kerala having the maximum concentration. They claim that Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence has managed to pump in nearly Rs 20 crore to fund these illegal institutions.

These institutions do not report to the Wakf Board and their syllabus is the same as the one followed in madrassas in Pakistan, say IB sources. The syllabus is based on the Anwar al-Awlaki school of thought, which has been adopted by Lashkar-e-Tayiba's [ Images ] front organisation Jamat-ud-Dawa, and speaks of 44 different ways to perform jihad

At class V level in these madrassas, students are taught that Hindus helped the British set up their empire in India. In class 6 and class 7, the students are clearly told that there is no way in which they should reconcile with India, since the only way to attain total freedom is by fighting and becoming martyrs.

Earlier, the various terror outfits concentrated on recruiting people for sleeper cells and modules, but soon realised that the concept of jihad needed to be introduced at an younger age to encourage fundamentalism. The illegal madrasas want to ensure that the students learn to internalise the jihadi school of thought.

Tracking such madrassas poses a problem for intelligence agencies, as they keep shifting base, and the fact that most of their students are children invariably shields them from any kind of suspicion.

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 02 Apr 2010 04:46

West Coast on high alert for another Mumbai style terror attack, infiltrations continue

01 Apr 2010 8ak: Home Minister P.C. Chidambaram has sounded an alert over the inability of the Navy and Coast Guard to locate a reportedly suspicious fishing boat sighted by fishermen off Diu. DNA reports of the massive search operation that was launched to find the boat and prevent another Mumbai style terror attack.

Pakistan based infiltration is expected to increase substantially over this early summer with reports that between 2,000 to 4,000 militants are being trained in 42 camps and are waiting to cross in to India. NDTV reports that the visiting, high level Pakistani Rangers delegation denies these intrusions which were also separately mentioned by outgoing Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor in his farewell speech.

Also, 10 Pakistani's were reported killed and a huge arms haul was reported in Times Online.

Carl_T · Post by **Carl_T** » 02 Apr 2010 05:27

^^^
*All is well*

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 02 Apr 2010 07:31

Why the US must not alienate India

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 02 Apr 2010 07:38

The Army released me on a secret agreement

INTERVIEW/Sarwan Dass

The official version of the Samba case was woven around gunner Sarwan Dass’s confession. He had joined the Indian Army on September 9, 1967. After the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he began spying for Pakistan, and passed on crucial information to Islamabad.
Following an IB tip-off, Sarwan was arrested in June 1975 by his artillery unit based in Madhya Pradesh. His fake confessions ruined the lives of many bright Indian soldiers.
Sarwan now regrets his misdeeds. He opens up about the case. Excerpts:

When did you first visit Pakistan?
In 1971. I desperately needed some money, so I decided to visit Pakistan for smuggling. But I got arrested in Sialkot and was sent to jail. Two Pakistani officers, Major Akbar Khan and Major Akhtar of Field Intelligence Unit promised to release me, provided I work for them. They offered good money, too. I agreed.

Who was the first person you took to Pakistan?
I have taken only one person, Aya Singh. He, too, wanted to make some quick bucks.

How did the Army come to know about your espionage activities?
It was 1975. Aya Singh and I had rejoined my unit in Babina in Jhansi after long absence from duty. Both of us were punished—two months rigorous imprisonment. After a couple of months, Khan sent a person to Babina to meet me. He was a civilian from Jammu. He showed me my picture with Major Khan. So, I thought he was our man. Later, I came to know that he was an IB double agent.

Captain R.G. Ghalawat was charged with helping you escape from the Army's custody?
That is a fake story. While being shifted from Babina to Jammu, I jumped off the train as the guards were sleeping.

Then why did you testify against him?
I was under intense pressure to give names of spies. I thought why not implicate him. He was my commanding officer at Babina and had been very harsh on me. Once he had punished Aya Singh and me, as he spotted us returning after a late-night movie. So, I thought it was my turn to teach him a lesson.

Ghalawat was given 14 years rigorous imprisonment, and he succumbed to the humiliation of being called a Pak agent.
I never thought he would be given such harsh punishment. I feel ashamed of myself.

Who else was working with you for Pakistan?
Aya Singh and I were the only ones.

More on this CONTINUES HERE

sum · Post by **sum** » 02 Apr 2010 10:34

^^ Same was posted 3-4 days back and is 7-8 posts above this one.

Please check existing posts before adding a new one to avoid re-posts.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 03 Apr 2010 04:38

CIA given details of British Muslim students

Outrage as personal files of undergraduates at Detroit bomb suspect's college handed to US

Personal information concerning the private lives of almost 1,000 British Muslim university students is to be shared with US intelligence agencies in the wake of the Detroit bomb scare.

The US begins "seen and unseen" profiling of air travelers

While trying hard to avoid admitting to "profiling," the Obama administration has introduced new measures for screening US-bound air travelers based on how closely their personal characteristics match intelligence on potential terrorists. Nationality, age, certain physical characteristics, recently visited countries and partial (Muslim-sounding) names will be used alongside the no-fly list to step up flight security.
The US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned Friday, April 2: "Passengers travelling to the United States from international destinations may notice enhanced security and random screening measures throughout the passenger check-in and boarding process." They will be applied to US citizens as well as foreign travelers.
She said the new measures "utilize real-time, threat-based intelligence along with multiple, random layers of security, both seen and unseen, to more effectively mitigate evolving terrorist threats." These would include "the use of explosives trace detection, advanced imaging technology, canine teams, or pat downs, among other security measures".
Our counter-terror sources report that these probably already include federal marshals on high-risk flights.
The DHS has been reviewing safety procedures measures ever since the botched bombing attempt last Christmas by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian national trained in Yemen by al Qaeda, who boarded a Detroit-bound plane at Amsterdam, notwithstanding an advance warning relayed to US intelligence.
debkafile's counter-terror sources report the new system is a radical departure from the former lackadaisical measures in force and will apply to US airports, incoming and domestic flights, American and foreign airlines and points of departure. It also covers many more countries than the 14 named after that incident, since when full body scanners are already in operation.
The singling out of people on the basis of race or ethnicity is formally prohibited by the US government, but is implicit in the new guidelines. To weed out potential terrorists, American airport security checks will come closer to the flexible methods applied at Israel's international airport, which are based on current intelligence together with the security official's instincts, initiative and personal observations rather than on the letter of official directives.
While the failed Christmas bomber was officially reported to be cooperating with his FBI interrogators, debkafile's intelligence sources report that they are still in the dark about the source of the explosives Abdulmutallab carried, the identify of the operatives who escorted him to the US flight at Amsterdam international airport and whom he met at Accra, Ghana, before setting out for Lagos and catching a flight to Schiphol.

Carl_T · Post by **Carl_T** » 03 Apr 2010 04:53

This is good news about profiling. Didn't think Obama had the guts to do it though.

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 03 Apr 2010 06:17

archan wrote: Mr. Li, I have warned you twice, and I am sure more are coming.

Third one recorded - he is on enforced cooling off for a month

shyams · Post by **shyams** » 03 Apr 2010 06:37

Marten wrote:
Whoa Nellie! A few weeks ago I'd posted about this large place of worship in Navi Mumbai (same vicinity as the DY Patil Stadium, Nerul). Weekend classes for kids have doubled! Surely the intelligence community has a hook into some of them (as in, to figure out how bad things are/will be).

Hopefully...

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 05 Apr 2010 03:24

India: Caught Between China And The Deep Sea

The Chinese have a long memory. They have not forgotten that one of the old Dalai Lamas was born in Tawang and that the present His Holiness fled from Tibet into India in 1959 across the border in the Tawang area. They have made it clear that there will be no border agreement unless India transfers at least Tawang to China. That would mean the exodus of the Indian population from the territory handed over to China. No Indian Government, however popular, may be able to sell such a transfer favourable to the Chinese to the Indian Parliament and people.

pankaj · Post by **pankaj** » 06 Apr 2010 10:56

Researchers Trace Data Theft to China
Canadian and United States computer security researchers have monitored a spying operation for the past eight months, observing while the intruders pilfered classified and restricted documents from the highest levels of the Indian Defense Ministry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/scien ... er.html?hp

UPrabhu · Post by **UPrabhu** » 06 Apr 2010 11:06

pankaj wrote:Researchers Trace Data Theft to China
Canadian and United States computer security researchers have monitored a spying operation for the past eight months, observing while the intruders pilfered classified and restricted documents from the highest levels of the Indian Defense Ministry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/scien ... er.html?hp

Report mentions some Mr. Li, bloody ****

csharma · Post by **csharma** » 06 Apr 2010 11:31

This report has been released to coincide with Indian FM's visit to China. Is there a connection?

NehraA · Post by **NehraA** » 06 Apr 2010 11:43

UPrabhu wrote: Report mentions some Mr. Li,

mr li says he's a wine seller

besides, there are some theories going around in my college IT dept, that considering the high profile breakins ie DIA, MeA, 21 Mountain Artillery Brigade, MCTE Mhow, etc... the chinese are being fed rather sumptuously on disinformation

what are the gurus views on this?

UPrabhu · Post by **UPrabhu** » 06 Apr 2010 11:59

NehraA wrote:
UPrabhu wrote: Report mentions some Mr. Li,
mr li says he's a wine seller

besides, there are some theories going around in my college IT dept, that considering the high profile breakins ie DIA, MeA, 21 Mountain Artillery Brigade, MCTE Mhow, etc... the chinese are being fed rather sumptuously on disinformation what are the gurus views on this?

wine seller and a recent BRFite-Trainee

Prabu · Post by **Prabu** » 06 Apr 2010 13:52

[quote=]Researchers Trace Data Theft to China
Canadian and United States computer security researchers have monitored a spying operation for the past eight months, observing while the intruders pilfered classified and restricted documents from the highest levels of the Indian Defense Ministry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/scien ... er.html?hp[/quote]

How about our Anti cyber attack celles which was in the news some time back ? Is it in action ? or still we are planning ???

Look ! Chinese Strategy is clear ! Talk INDO-CHINI BAI BAI ! BUT STAB FROM BACK, DO WHAT EVER POSSIBLE TO HARM INDIAN INTERESTS WITHOUT TALKING A WORD ! ( FROM EARLY 60S !! WE SHOULD PAY BACK WITH THE SAME STRATEGY ! OPEN NUMEROUS ANTI CYBER CELLS ! AND CLAIM INNOCENSE IN PUBLIC ! ENHANCE DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE CAPAPBILITIES RAPIDLY , BUT QUITELY !

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Apr 2010 20:18

Prabu, What about Rabinder Singh?

I suggest calm down and let the proper authorities take care instead of you developing BP based on information or mis information.

How did these people know what was hacked? Did they get copies of it?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Apr 2010 20:40

This needs a repost for archival access

2010/04/10
The New York Times
A version of this article appeared in print on April 6, 2010, on page A1 of the New York edition.

Researchers Trace Data Theft to Intruders in China

TORONTO — Turning the tables on a China-based computer espionage gang, Canadian and United States computer security researchers have monitored a spying operation for the past eight months, observing while the intruders pilfered classified and restricted documents from the highest levels of the Indian Defense Ministry.

In a report issued Monday night, the researchers, based at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, provide a detailed account of how a spy operation it called the Shadow Network systematically hacked into personal computers in government offices on several continents.

The Toronto spy hunters not only learned what kinds of material had been stolen, but were able to see some of the documents, including classified assessments about security in several Indian states, and confidential embassy documents about India’s relationships in West Africa, Russia and the Middle East. The intruders breached the systems of independent analysts, taking reports on several Indian missile systems. They also obtained a year’s worth of the Dalai Lama’s personal e-mail messages.

The intruders even stole documents related to the travel of NATO forces in Afghanistan, illustrating that even though the Indian government was the primary target of the attacks, one gap in computer security can leave many nations exposed.

“It’s not only that you’re only secure as the weakest link in your network,” said Rafal Rohozinski, a member of the Toronto team. “But in an interconnected world, you’re only as secure as the weakest link in the global chain of information.”

As recently as early March, the Indian communications minister, Sachin Pilot, told reporters that government networks had been attacked by China, but that “not one attempt has been successful.” But on March 24, the Toronto researchers said, they contacted intelligence officials in India and told them of the spy ring they had been tracking. They requested and were given instructions on how to dispose of the classified and restricted documents.

On Monday, Sitanshu Kar, a spokesman for the Indian Defense Ministry, said officials were “looking into” the report, but had no official statement.

The attacks look like the work of a criminal gang based in Sichuan Province, but as with all cyberattacks, it is easy to mask the true origin, the researchers said. Given the sophistication of the intruders and the targets of the operation, the researchers said, it is possible that the Chinese government approved of the spying.

When asked about the new report on Monday, a propaganda official in Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu, said “it’s ridiculous” to suggest that the Chinese government might have played a role. “The Chinese government considers hacking a cancer to the whole society,” said the official, Ye Lao. Tensions have risen between China and the United States this year after a statement by Google in January that it and dozens of other companies had been the victims of computer intrusions coming from China.

The spy operation appears to be different from the Internet intruders identified by Google and from a surveillance ring known as Ghostnet, also believed to be operating from China, which the Canadian researchers identified in March of last year. Ghostnet used computer servers based largely on the island of Hainan to steal documents from the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, and governments and corporations in more than 103 countries.

The Ghostnet investigation led the researchers to this second Internet spy operation, which is the subject of their new report, titled “Shadows in the Cloud: An investigation Into Cyberespionage 2.0.” The new report shows that the India-focused spy ring made extensive use of Internet services like Twitter, Google Groups, Blogspot, blog.com, Baidu Blogs and Yahoo! Mail to automate the control of computers once they had been infected.

The Canadian researchers cooperated in their investigation with a volunteer group of security experts in the United States at the Shadowserver Foundation, which focuses on Internet criminal activity.

“This would definitely rank in the sophisticated range,” said Steven Adair, a security research with the group. “While we don’t know exactly who’s behind it, we know they selected their targets with great care.”

By gaining access to the control servers used by the second cyber gang, the researchers observed the theft of a wide range of material, including classified documents from the Indian government and reports taken from Indian military analysts and corporations, as well as documents from agencies of the United Nations and other governments.

“We snuck around behind the backs of the attackers and picked their pockets,” said Ronald J. Deibert, a political scientist who is director of the Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research group at the Munk School. “I’ve not seen anything remotely close to the depth and the sensitivity of the documents that we’ve recovered.”

The researchers said the second spy ring was more sophisticated and difficult to detect than the Ghostnet operation.

By examining a series of e-mail addresses, the investigators traced the attacks to hackers who appeared to be based in Chengdu, which is home to a large population from neighboring Tibet. Researchers believe that one hacker used the code name “lost33” and that he may have been affiliated with the city’s prestigious University of Electronic Science and Technology. The university publishes books on computer hacking and offers courses in “network attack and defense technology” and “information conflict technology,” according to its Web site.

The People’s Liberation Army also operates a technical reconnaissance bureau in the city, and helps finance the university’s research on computer network defense. A university spokesman could not be reached Monday because of a national holiday.

The investigators linked the account of another hacker to a Chengdu resident whose name appeared to be Mr. Li. Reached by telephone on Monday, Mr. Li denied taking part in computer hacking. Mr. Li, who declined to give his full name, said he must have been confused with someone else. He said he knew little about hacking. “That is not me,” he said. “I’m a wine seller.”

The Canadian researchers stressed that while the new spy ring focused primarily on India, there were clear international ramifications. Mr. Rohozinski noted that civilians working for NATO and the reconstruction mission in Afghanistan usually traveled through India and that Indian government computers that issued visas had been compromised in both Kandahar and Kabul in Afghanistan.

“That is an operations security issue for both NATO and the International Security Assistance Force,” said Mr. Rohozinski, who is also chief executive of the SecDev Group, a Canadian computer security consulting and research firm.

The report notes that documents the researchers recovered were found with “Secret,” “Restricted” and “Confidential” notices. “These documents,” the report says, “contain sensitive information taken from a member of the National Security Council Secretariat concerning secret assessments of India’s security situation in the states of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, as well as concerning the Naxalites and Maoists,” two opposition groups.

Other documents included personal information about a member of the Indian Directorate General of Military Intelligence.

The researchers also found evidence that Indian Embassy computers in Kabul, Moscow and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and at the High Commission of India in Abuja, Nigeria had been compromised.

Also compromised were computers used by the Indian Military Engineer Services in Bengdubi, Calcutta, Bangalore and Jalandhar; the 21 Mountain Artillery Brigade in Assam and three air force bases. Computers at two Indian military colleges were also taken over by the spy ring.

Even after eight months of watching the spy ring, the Toronto researchers said they could not determine exactly who was using the Chengdu computers to infiltrate the Indian government.

“But an important question to be entertained is whether the P.R.C. will take action to shut the Shadow Network down,” the report says, referring to the People’s Republic of China. “Doing so will help to address longstanding concerns that malware ecosystems are actively cultivated, or at the very least tolerated, by governments like the P.R.C. who stand to benefit from their exploits though the black and gray markets for information and data.”

John Markoff reported from Toronto, and David Barboza from Shanghai. Vikas Bajaj contributed reporting from Mumbai, India.

sourab_c · Post by **sourab_c** » 06 Apr 2010 20:46

ramana wrote:
How did these people know what was hacked? Did they get copies of it?

IMO, they look for manipulated network protocols and can tell what was hacked.
And,
Yes, the report mentions that they were able to get copies of some of the material that was stolen!!!

What surprises me is that there is absolutely NO mention of such attacks in our mainstream media, which is obsessed with bollywood, cricket and Shoaib Malik.

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 06 Apr 2010 21:22

Russia confirms bomber as wife of Pak trained terrorist leader

Well I sure hope that unlike the Desi Govt, the Commies BOMB the shit outta these PAK Terror CAMPS.. The LEAST the Desis could do IF NOT join the party, is provide targets and let the Russians Brothers take care of it.. LONG LIVE PUTIN, Singh saab Murdabad !

Sudip · Post by **Sudip** » 06 Apr 2010 21:56

Russia names second metro suicide bomber

Russia's leaders have called for tough new measures to fight extremism and a junior member of the Russian legislature told AFP Tuesday he had proposed legislation to tighten restrictions on how media may report on extremism.
"In my opinion, news about militants should be reduced to reports about their annihilation," Robert Shlegel, a member of the State Duma from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, told AFP.

Prabu · Post by **Prabu** » 06 Apr 2010 22:14

ramana wrote:Prabu, What about Rabinder Singh?

I suggest calm down and let the proper authorities take care instead of you developing BP based on information or mis information.

How did these people know what was hacked? Did they get copies of it?

Ramanji,

Agreed ! I posted in the with high BP! But even before I could calm down there is another attack ! 75 Jawans killed in Ambush ! So what are we going to do ? On you opinion of info./ mis info., it could be possible. People like shameful Rabinder singh-RAW
are still at large in USA. But I remmebr reading a bravo from inteligency agency,(thruogh news paper report- Indian express?) that he may be soon be dead in unexplainable accident, soon after he escaped ! But it doesnt seem to have happend so far !

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Apr 2010 22:22

All, Link here:

Shadows in the Cloud: An Investigation into Cyber Espionage 2.0

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 06 Apr 2010 23:23

I am suprised that there is no mention of his Holiness Dalai Llama's computer had been hacked into. Thats what kicked off this whole process fo handing over the investigation to the guys in Toronto last year. Looks like things are worse than we thought. Bangladesh suffered a cyber attack on govt websites last week including RAB and Special Branch.

IMO, Police cyber crime cells have all the equipment/software needed to investigate small time criminals, but our defence and offensive capability is non existant. There needs to be a big push.