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Govt plans regulator to curb Chinese cellphone threat.
June 28, 2011 1:05:56 AM
Rakesh K Singh | New Delhi
As Chinese cellphone handsets imported by Indian companies are posing a threat to national security for their being fitted with spywares and malwares, the Government is considering a proposal to put in place a regulatory mechanism to check the quality of such imports.
The latest Chinese mischief comes after the security agencies had earlier detected that the handsets imported from that country and sold in the Indian market were without the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. The Government had to ban the use of such phones in view of the security threat.
These handsets of local brands sold at cheap rates in Indian markets constitute the bulk of the sales. Spywares and malwares are fitted in the hardware in such a way that they are hard to detect, raising serious security concerns. The spyware-fitted handsets can transmit data to the manufacturers of such hardware based in China once such handsets are connected to telecom service providers network or to any computer system connected to an Internet server.
Intelligence agencies, including Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) among others recently discussed the concerns with the officials of Department of Telecom and sought stricter monitoring of the inventories, impose penalties on the defaulting companies and ban imports if suspected consignments are received by the Indian mobile phone companies.
The Government had earlier banned Chinese mobile phones that came without the IMEI numbers. A bulk of such handsets was assigned a common IMEI number in lots ranging from 500 to 5000 and was preferred by the terror groups for evading detection after any terrorist strikes.
The agencies here suspect that the Chinese intelligence agencies might keep a track of communication by the defence personnel, bureaucrats and the corporate leaders through such spywares. The Chinese hackers have, in the past, hacked the official websites of sensitive ministries.
Telecom equipment manufacturing giant and Chinese company Huawei that supplies switches and routers to most of the telecom companies here is also suspected by the intelligence agencies for inserting malwares and spywares in the equipment supplied here.
There have been instances where spywares were found to be fitted in Chinese mobile phone handsets imported by some well-known Indian companies. Sensitive data can be hacked through such mobile phone handsets. We are exploring the possibility of tightening the regulations for such imports. An advisory is being issued to properly check suspicious consignments of mobile handsets from China, an official privy to the details of the meeting said.
Ethical hacker Dhruv Soi said, China has an agenda to push backdoors like malwares and spywares in the hardware it exports to India. Hardware-based spywares are attached to the hardware of such devices and can transmit data, including SMS, call log details, address books and can even make a conference call without being detected by the phone user. A strong regulatory mechanism should be put in place to verify such imports.
There are certain types of spywares that can self propagate and China specialises in such embedded hardware systems, Soi added.
Meanwhile, a PTI reports said that Chinese telecom major Huaweis proposed agreement with Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, for setting up a licencing unit for authenticating equipment supplies to the country requires the mandatory nod of the Union Home Ministry on security ground.
Huawei and another Chinese firm ZTE are under the scanner of Indias security agencies which fear the two firms could use the telecom equipment they supply to snoop on India and even launch cyber attacks. Home Ministry officials said it has not received any communication either from IIS or Huawei, a major supplier to Indian mobile phone firms, seeking permission for any business deal.
Security clearance is a must for any deal involving Chinese companies. If any proposal comes, we will examine its pros and cons and take a view, a MHA official said. This comes in the wake of reports that Huawei has been enlisted to provide the knowhow and equipment for a facility that will be a clearing house for all imported telecom gear. The reports said Huawei and IIS, where the laboratory would be hosted, will soon sign a pact under which the Chinese company will provide documentation, expertise, methods and standards for studying telecom equipment.
Various Central Government agencies have been pointing to penetration of Chinese firms in telecom sector. However, all the concerns of the security agencies have been side-stepped by the Department of Telecom and Huawei and ZTE were allowed to operate in India, officials said.
The Pioneer :: Home : >> Govt plans regulator to curb Chinese cellphone threat
June 28, 2011 1:05:56 AM
Rakesh K Singh | New Delhi
As Chinese cellphone handsets imported by Indian companies are posing a threat to national security for their being fitted with spywares and malwares, the Government is considering a proposal to put in place a regulatory mechanism to check the quality of such imports.
The latest Chinese mischief comes after the security agencies had earlier detected that the handsets imported from that country and sold in the Indian market were without the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. The Government had to ban the use of such phones in view of the security threat.
These handsets of local brands sold at cheap rates in Indian markets constitute the bulk of the sales. Spywares and malwares are fitted in the hardware in such a way that they are hard to detect, raising serious security concerns. The spyware-fitted handsets can transmit data to the manufacturers of such hardware based in China once such handsets are connected to telecom service providers network or to any computer system connected to an Internet server.
Intelligence agencies, including Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) among others recently discussed the concerns with the officials of Department of Telecom and sought stricter monitoring of the inventories, impose penalties on the defaulting companies and ban imports if suspected consignments are received by the Indian mobile phone companies.
The Government had earlier banned Chinese mobile phones that came without the IMEI numbers. A bulk of such handsets was assigned a common IMEI number in lots ranging from 500 to 5000 and was preferred by the terror groups for evading detection after any terrorist strikes.
The agencies here suspect that the Chinese intelligence agencies might keep a track of communication by the defence personnel, bureaucrats and the corporate leaders through such spywares. The Chinese hackers have, in the past, hacked the official websites of sensitive ministries.
Telecom equipment manufacturing giant and Chinese company Huawei that supplies switches and routers to most of the telecom companies here is also suspected by the intelligence agencies for inserting malwares and spywares in the equipment supplied here.
There have been instances where spywares were found to be fitted in Chinese mobile phone handsets imported by some well-known Indian companies. Sensitive data can be hacked through such mobile phone handsets. We are exploring the possibility of tightening the regulations for such imports. An advisory is being issued to properly check suspicious consignments of mobile handsets from China, an official privy to the details of the meeting said.
Ethical hacker Dhruv Soi said, China has an agenda to push backdoors like malwares and spywares in the hardware it exports to India. Hardware-based spywares are attached to the hardware of such devices and can transmit data, including SMS, call log details, address books and can even make a conference call without being detected by the phone user. A strong regulatory mechanism should be put in place to verify such imports.
There are certain types of spywares that can self propagate and China specialises in such embedded hardware systems, Soi added.
Meanwhile, a PTI reports said that Chinese telecom major Huaweis proposed agreement with Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, for setting up a licencing unit for authenticating equipment supplies to the country requires the mandatory nod of the Union Home Ministry on security ground.
Huawei and another Chinese firm ZTE are under the scanner of Indias security agencies which fear the two firms could use the telecom equipment they supply to snoop on India and even launch cyber attacks. Home Ministry officials said it has not received any communication either from IIS or Huawei, a major supplier to Indian mobile phone firms, seeking permission for any business deal.
Security clearance is a must for any deal involving Chinese companies. If any proposal comes, we will examine its pros and cons and take a view, a MHA official said. This comes in the wake of reports that Huawei has been enlisted to provide the knowhow and equipment for a facility that will be a clearing house for all imported telecom gear. The reports said Huawei and IIS, where the laboratory would be hosted, will soon sign a pact under which the Chinese company will provide documentation, expertise, methods and standards for studying telecom equipment.
Various Central Government agencies have been pointing to penetration of Chinese firms in telecom sector. However, all the concerns of the security agencies have been side-stepped by the Department of Telecom and Huawei and ZTE were allowed to operate in India, officials said.
The Pioneer :: Home : >> Govt plans regulator to curb Chinese cellphone threat
