Tuesday 4 December 2012

ISI using software to spy on Indian Army

Receiving a phone call on your mobile phone from an unknown Indian telephone number and asking for information about the Indian Army, etc can be dangerous - this could be a call from the Pakistani intelligence agency. The Pakistan Intelligence Operative Agency (PIOA) associated with Pak intelligence agency ISI has recently uploaded software named 'fone phreak' on Google and efforts
are being made to call the Indian Army, BSF, Indian intelligence agencies and journalists
to collect information. Though the calls are made from Pakistan, the number is that of Indian operators.

Among the many calls received in the last 20 days, three calls were from Pakistan while the number displayed on the mobile screen was of that of Tata company's call centre in Hyderabad. After such efforts from Pakistan, the Army has alerted its units and directed them not to give out any information on the phone. Indian security and intelligence agencies and telecommunication department do not have any arrangement to stop this software.

Otherwise too, this software can be used by many other people just for fun. Various security and intelligence agencies have expressed concern over this software. There has been a sudden increase in incoming calls from unknown numbers on mobile phones. If anyone gets such calls repeatedly then the police should be informed immediately.

This software is uploaded in the computer which can be downloaded free of cost and can be used for wrong purposes. After downloading this software, one could use it for an hour and make fake calls. After downloading this software, two boxes are seen; in one box we have to put phone number from which the call has to be made and in the other box, the number has to be put on which the call is to be made. On dialing, the receiver cannot identify your phone number and will only see the number that has been put in the first box.

This software can be uploaded from many countries including America, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and some others. There has been heavy increase in incidents of getting fake calls in India. A TOI correspondent too received three calls in November. The caller introduced himself as a journalist from London and wanted details of the Army's exercise and movement in Thar desert. For quite some time In the past some time, army, BSF, intelligence agencies, security agencies were also getting fake calls and there has been heavy increase in this. The caller calls himself from Indian army or officer from any other Indian agency and try to get information.

The army has directed its jawans to be extra alert in this regard. As this software can be downloaded free of cost, many people such as criminals, eve- teasers and miscreants can use it to tease girls or create problems for others. If the Centre does not ban this software then any person can misuse this software. Defence spokeman S D Goswami said, "Electronic communications do not respect national frontiers. Mobile phone communication provides an easy tool as part of digital spy war game plan or programmed agenda of Pakistan. We are fully aware of this type of warfare and have preventive measures in place. Our troops are now fully aware of such war through other means. We are keeping an eye on malicious tactics of anti- national elements and educate our rank and file through our awareness programmes. We have comprehensive cyber security instructions and defaulters are dealt with severely. "

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