The common understanding of "Cyberwarfare" has to do with
warfare conducted via computer systems through the
world-wide-web - in which attacks on military systems from
external sources can take on many forms.
The recent alarm bells that were
sounded by the India Armed Forces - will
require a new perspective to this issue - in
which electrical components that are manufactured by
OEMs based in countries that pose a security threat to one's
country.
‘Chinese parts in IAF encryption devices prompt security
probe’ (*1)
The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has
ordered a high-level inquiry into the supply of encryption devices
last year to the Indian Air Force and the National Technical
Research Organisation (NTRO) by state-owned, Bangalore-based Bharat
Electronics Limited (BEL).
The inquiry was ordered after it came to light that the
encryption devices were of Chinese origin, thereby leading to
concerns that Chinese agencies could penetrate the systems to
access data stored in the devices.
The IAF, it is learnt, as well as the NTRO, were using the
devices to encrypt inter-office and intra-office communication,
most of it related to national security.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on October 28 here,
which was chaired by Deputy National Security Adviser Leela
Ponappa, who retires today.
The Scientific Analysis Group (SAG) of the NSCS has been ordered
to conduct a detailed inquiry into whether any device has been
breached, as well as the possibility of such an eventuality in the
future.
Representatives of some other public sector enterprises that
supply communication as well as encryption devices to the defence
establishment, such as the Electronics Corporation of India Limited
(ECIL) and the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), as well as the
three services and the Defence Ministry, are to conduct internal
inquiries to rule out any possibility of technical
Chinese-manufactured equipment being accessed by the Chinese
manufacturers or the Chinese agencies.
Sources in the NSCS told The Sunday Express that the inquiry was
ordered by a miffed Deputy NSA despite strong protests by the IAF,
the Defence Ministry as well BEL.
The SAG has been asked to conclude its inquiry within two months
and submit its report to the NSCS.
Sources in the NSCS said the government is wary of "too much"
high tech hardware and software manufactured by Chinese companies,
most of them state-owned, being used by the Indian defence
establishment and intelligence agencies.
Incidentally, in April this year, the Intelligence Bureau (IB)
and the Defence Ministry had asked public sector telecom major BSNL
not to award equipment contracts to Chinese equipment majors Huawei
and ZTE in the interest of national security.
Huawei, incidentally, is linked to the Chinese Army and was
black-listed by the US Government a few years ago.
Following the BSNL decision, the government had also constituted
a high-level committee to examine the issue of participation of
foreign companies, especially these from China, in tenders by
telecom companies such as the BSNL where security concerns
prevailed.
A senior NSCS officer confirmed that the government has come
across instances of Chinese companies indulging in industrial
espionage and accessing top secret data, including those of Indian
companies, by hacking into the servers.