Exposed: How Pak's ISI, JuD used Facebook to honeytrap Air Force man to reveal secret info
According to reports, after months of investigation, cyber security sleuths have managed to dig out the details behind an IAF man being honeytrapped by Pakistani agencies for gaining vital security information.
In Short
- ISI, JuD used fake FB profile to lure IAF man.
- IAF's Ranjith KK was arrested in December 2015.
- He passed important info to ISI agents who honeytrapped him.
Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and banned terror group Jamaat-ud-Dawaa (JuD) worked in tandem to lure an Indian Air Force (IAF) official, honeytrapping him through Facebook, a probe by cyber security cell has revealed.
According to reports, after months of investigation, cyber security sleuths have managed to dig out the details behind an IAF man being honeytrapped by Pakistani agencies for gaining vital security information. IAF official Ranjith KK was arrested in December last year by Delhi Police's Crime Branch from Bathinda, Punjab.
FAKE FB PROFILE OPERATED FROM NEAR ISI BASE
It has now been found that the Facebook profile in the name of Damini McNaught, which was used to entice Ranjith was being operated from near ISI's base in Peshawar. The profile was also being operated from near the base of JuD.
ISI laying honeytraps on Facebook and Twitter to snare Indian defence personnel
The revelations have been made after Indian intelligence agencies received details like the internet protocol address (IP address) from which the fake account was being operated. Investigating agencies also used other important details they received from Facebook and Google to establish Pakistan link in the case.
HOW THE CASE CAME TO LIGHT
Air Force officials Ranjith KK was arrested from Bathinda by Delhi Police's Crime Branch in December, 2015 for passing on secret information to the Pakistani spy agency ISI.
Police sources revealed that the officer was honeytrapped by ISI agents, who created a fake profile of a woman by the name Damini McNaught and claimed to be an executive of a UK-based media firm.
Hackers hunt for desi moles to ensure that no info is leaked to foreign spies
McNaught claimed that she required Air Force-related information for an article she was writing for their news magazine.
"Ranjith shared important information, mostly pertaining to deployment, recent exercises, movements and status of aircraft. He was being used to identify each building inside Bathinda Air Force Station. After seeing Google map, she questioned him about the nature of the building. He helped them identify the air traffic controller building, the parking spots of jet planes, connecting runway and bunker for the aircraft," an officer investigating the case said.
Further investigation revealed that Ranjith was passing information in exchange for money. Money amounting to Rs 30,000- 50,000 was transferred twice into his bank account.
Also Read:
Who is Damini McNaught? What is her role in Ranjith KK's arrest?