VOIP - New challenge to cyber cops

Terrorists relying on newer technologies like proxy internet servers and Voice over Internet Protocol as indicated by Pakistan’s probe into the recent Mumbai attacks pose a new challenge to police investigations, feel cyber experts.

Terrorists relying on newer technologies like proxy internet servers and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) as indicated by Pakistan’s probe into the recent Mumbai attacks pose a new challenge to police investigations, feel cyber experts.

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“There is so much data communication on the internet at all times that it is very difficult to detect VOIP that is malicious in nature. Even if it is detected, decoding the communication, tracing the locations of the terrorists, monitoring them, etc, is very difficult,” says Ankit Fadia, a cyber security expert.

VOIP software usually encrypts or encodes the communication, hence making it very difficult for police to decode intercepted calls.

“Most VOIP software companies like Skype or Google Talk are based outside India. This is a further hindrance to investigation, since it takes a long time to get response from these companies abroad,” says Fadia, winner of Indo-American young achiever award.

Cyberlaw experts say there are many loopholes that makes it difficult to keep track of terror transactions.

“At the time when different countries have come up with distinct legislation they have an impact of Cyber Terrorism, having a single provision on Cyber Terrorism, is not likely to help India in the long run,” says Pavan Duggal, a cyber law expert.