E-Paper
Cell cos put on leash
Home Ministry asks DoT to direct all cellular operators not to start any new service without prior security clearance.
The Home Ministry has written to the Department of Telecommunication to direct all cellular operators not to start any new service without prior security clearance. The idea, sources said, is to ensure a monitoring mechanism is first put in place before the service is started.
"These days, service providers are giving a lot of value-added services like SMS, MMS, Internet, email, news, etc. These are constantly being upgraded with new services and additional features. We need to ensure these services don't cause any security risk," a ministry official said. "This is primarily a precautionary measure, so that in case something goes wrong, there is a mechanism where we can get all the details and data as to what exactly happened," the official added.
Intelligence officials who are already monitoring different services being offered by cellular operators, particularly in militancy-infested areas, feel there is tremendous scope for misuse of these services.
The ministry's letter comes in the wake of the recent hacking of website of a major cellular company, where the accused managed to access the call details of several clients. Describing the incident as a serious security lapse, officials said one shouldn't be able to access even the billing details of anyone.
Meanwhile, with regard to the naval war leak case and the detection of a spy network in the National Security Council Secretariat, the Intelligence Bureau has once again instructed all government establishments not to allow cellphones with cameras, bluetooth connectivity and computer devices like pen drives in offices dealing with sensitive information. Government offices handling sensitive information have been directed to closely monitor Internet connections and email accounts of all officials. "These, in any case, are standing instructions to all establishments handling sensitive information. But we have reiterated them in view of some recent incidents," an intelligence official said.
