Porn is Al qaeda’s latest weapon

Terrorist networks are jamming important Indian e-governance systems and key financial sites through pornographic wallpapers and song downloads

Porn is Al qaeda's latest weapon

Terrorist networks are jamming important Indian e-governance systems and key financial sites through pornographic wallpapers and song downloads

IN the last one year, India has witnessed almost 400 registered attacks on Indian websites.

That makes for more than one major government site being attacked on a daily basis. According to a government data released recently, government departments or private institutions are more prone to these cyber attacks.

In the private sector, about 51% sites attacked belonged to the e-commerce sector, while 47% belonged to the financial services sector.

According to a cyber crime expert, al Qaeda, Pakistan, China and other enemy states are creating zombie networks of online Indian computers using spyware to ultimately jam sensitive Indian e-governance systems for the last two years. They are increasingly using pornographic images and music download sites to compromise sensitive servers.

A city-based Centre for Development of Advanced Computing was recently hired by a central intelligence agency to develop programs to avert the dangers of cyber enemies waging against India.

"The pornographic and song websites are easier to send the Trojans, because viewers download them on their computers," said Sudam Chaure, Pune Police cyber crime cell coordinator.
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Thus, several computers are made Zombies, and become effective in jamming major e-governance systems.
Although the government denies it, Information Warfare Monitor (an e-journal) recently said that IP addresses originating from China attacked the Indian MEA computers. The hackers are believed to have gotten away with sensitive data.

What is cyber warfare?

Cyber warfare is the use of equipment like computers, mobile phones or other IP-enabled equipment to conduct war via the Internet.

It's part of information warfare that involves collection of tactical information, spreading of propaganda to demoralise the enemy, and overpowering enemy systems servers, thus bringing normal life to a standstill.

Various methods like DDOS, phishing, cyber vandalism, espionage, destroying critical utilities, and equipment failure come under cyber war.