Updated 15 Feb, 2012, 6:16 pm IST

Keeping India Safe Online

03 Jul, 2009, 2:53 pm IST | Francis D'sa

Cyberstalking, online fraud and identity theft are major concerns, but the police in India are working hard to make the Internet safer for everyone.

To catch a cyber criminal As Mr Bharti commented, “The moment anyone accesses cyberspace, anonymity is impossible. It is much easier to catch somebody when he’s online than otherwise, simply because once a person logs on to the Internet, he leaves footprints behind.” Every computer using the Internet has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, whether or not the user is aware of it.

Thus when a person sends an email, registers on any website, downloads a file or does anything at all on the Internet, the respective servers log his or her IP address with date and time stamps. These details can be obtained from internet service providers (ISPs) and used to trace the computer or device used, after which traditional methods of investigation lead the police to the person responsible.

But even IP addresses don’t always point to the exact computer used. There aren’t currently enough addresses in the world for each and every PC in each and every office or cybercaf� to have a separate Internet connection. These computers use IP addresses that define them on an internal network and collectively seen as only one different address to the outside world.

So a criminal could be traced to an office or cybercaf�, but then the IT administrator there would have to be questioned to find out who is linked to the particular crime committed. These details are culled from IT department server logs, and then used to pinpoint the exact computer which was used at a particular date and time. When CCIC officers zero in on the particular computer that was used for the crime, it is immediately seized and its hard drive is sent to a forensic lab for analysis.

Only after the hard drive is cloned for backup does the investigation proceed. That’s also why cybercaf� owners are now required to maintain logs of all visitors. Cybercaf� owners are required to check and record valid ID cards, but this is rarely practiced and it is easy enough to pass off a fake ID. Mr Bharti confirmed to us that the CCIC is attempting to enforce fingerprint scanners and cameras for stricter monitoring.

Crimes committed over the Internet can cause havoc with minimal effort on the part of the criminal, the most common example being bomb threats which often sent via email, whether from real terrorists or just pranksters. Because of this, the CCIC and a few IT companies from the industry recently conducted an awareness drive to educate people about the potential risks an insecure Wi-Fi network creates, and how simple security measures can be implemented. An unsecure Wi-Fi is an open invitation for criminals to conduct their future crimes.

So if you use a wireless router at home or in your office, be sure it is locked down with a strong password. And if you have any ideas about playing a prank on someone by sending obscene messages or breaking into another person’s Wi-Fi network for free Internet access, you could very easily land behind bars.

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