GUWAHATI, Jan 8 - With the information technology boom, cyber wars have become major threats and the security agencies are facing challenge in monitoring the cyber space to prevent the unscrupulous elements and anti-national forces from creating trouble.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that in the present day situation, it is not easy for any country for launching a conventional war against anyone, but there is no problem in launching a cyber war against any country. Launching a cyber war is an economical form of warfare and anyone can launch such a war by sitting in a room. That is why, of late, cyber war has become a popular tool for the unscrupulous elements and anti-national forces to launch war against any country.
In recent times, India has faced such cyber wars on quite a few occasions as the cyber space was used to launch serious anti-India propaganda. India has direct evidence of groups of hackers from Pakistan, who not only hacked different websites of India, but also launched anti-India propaganda on several occasions. On its part, India blocked a number of websites, but there is need for constant monitoring of the cyber space, sources added.
Sources said that dreaded terrorist outfit Islamic State is growing mainly because of the use of the cyber space. The outfit has been frequently using the cyber space not only to launch its propaganda material but also to recruit youths from different countries of the world. Luckily for India, not many people from the country have joined the outfit.
Security sources also pointed out that only a handful of people can create major trouble by using the cyber space. During the ethnic clashes in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Council (BTAD) in 2012, only a handful of people created chaos by using the cyber space, which led to the exodus of thousands of youths from Assam from Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
There have also been instances when the official websites of the State and Central governments were hacked and on a few occasions, flags of Pakistan and Bangladesh were put up in the government websites by the hackers. �We cannot say that all foreign agents or elements were involved in all such incidents. Anyone can do such mischief by sitting in India also,� sources added. However, it is also a fact that there have been instances of hackers from Pakistan and China hacking Indian websites to put up anti-India materials.
Sources pointed out that constant watch is being maintained on the cyber space, but �we need to upgrade continuously to prevent unscrupulous elements from using the cyber space to create trouble. The security of the government websites should be continuously upgraded as the unscrupulous elements can always find a way to break into the government sites by using new technology,� sources added.
