New Delhi: An intelligence agency is a government institution that gathers and analyzes valuable information in order to help the country cope with security matters. Not necessarily when it comes to Pakistani spy agency ISI which chooses to focus on providing logistical support to country-based terror groups in planning and executing terror attacks on Indian soil.
There are ample examples where it has emerged that instead of dismantling the terror infrastructure existing on its soil, ISI, apparently at the behest of Islamabad, was providing directions and logistics support to terrorist groups like LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen etc. Pakistan-born terrorist David Coleman Headley, while testifying before a Mumbai court earlier this year, too had maintained this.
In its recent findings, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said that Pakistani spy agency ISI was using several apps to spy upon the Indian security personnel. In its reply submitted to the Parliament, MoS for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, said that ISI was using smartphone malware embedded gaming, music apps to spy upon military.
"Yes, there are reports that Pakistani spy agency agencies are using apps like Top Gun (gaming app), mpjunkie (music app), vdjunky (video junk), Talking Frog (talking app), etc to spy upon Indian security forces by sending malwares," it reads.
The MoS further stated that the Pakistan's spy agency was also making efforts to trap ex-servicemen in the garb of providing job opportunities and financial aid for spying.
"Yes, Pakistani spy agencies are During the period 2013-16 ISI was trying its best to trap ex-servicemen by giving them offers of rewarding jobs and financial support in exchange of spying. During the period of 2013-16, a total of seven ex-servicemen have been arrested for conducting spying for the ISI," it further reads.
In December last year, a serving Indian Army jawan was arrested on charges of being maintaining close relationship with an agent of ISI. The jawan was identified as Havildar Farid Khan. It was revealed that he had provided vital information to the spy agency. This was the seventh arrest in the country-wide raid in the ISI spying case.
ISI’s 'honeytrap'
ISI has used social networking sites like Facebook as honey traps to gather secret and confidential information about the Indian armed forces. Delhi Police had last year reported some fictitious Facebook accounts, purportedly belonging to women that were used to identify and lure defence personnel.
Last year, Delhi Police had also busted a pan-India ISI-backed espionage racket. Officials dug out this information during the questioning of 44-year-old library assistant, Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja, who was arrested in the capital on charges of spying for ISI.
How ISI draws attention
ISI’s strategy, pinned by intelligence officials, involves drawing their attention with attractive profile photos, befriending them and then getting familiar over chats. Slowly, they encourage the personnel to divulge matters considered secret that can be used by the enemy.
Proof to the fact of the rising number honey trap cases is the Indian Army issuing a 10-point list of do's and don'ts for its troops and their family members.
The advisory was issued by the General Services (Intelligence) after dismissed Air Force official Ranjith K K was arrested on charges of spying and sharing secret documents with the ISI. Investigations revealed that Ranjith was honey-trapped into espionage by a woman whom he met through Facebook in 2012. He was allegedly lured into sharing some sensitive details through an attractive picture and a Skype session.
The list of 10 do's and don'ts issued by the Army for its personnel and their family members was sent to all the units, sub-units and formations of the Army to save them from being ensnared through social media.
Intelligence had also suggested that ISI was using underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's network in India to incite communal riots. The agency was seeking help of banned groups like Indian Mujahideen and SIMI, to execute its plan and was involved in funding them to stoke violence in the country.
Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley had earlier this year told special judge GA Sanap that ISI was helping different terror outfits in Pakistan and was providing financial, military and moral support.
Click here to read do's and don'ts for jawans on social media
Sources told India TV that ISI was also trying to spy upon the officials of Home Ministry, Defence Ministry and several agencies. Attempts were also made to hack the mobile phones of officials and at least 30-40 such cases are reported from several ministries and departments on daily basis.
According to IB, to access the sensitive information related to India’s security, ISI has also developed software. Few directions that have been given to the officials to evade such hacking include:
* Don’t discuss official/sensitive works via mobile phones
* Don’t download apps that are sent promising lucrative deals
* Don’t connect mobile phone to laptops/PCs and also don’t use charge mobile phones using PCs or laptops
* Use FAX and landline to share/discuss important and sensitive matters
Looking ahead
To stop the ISI from expanding its network in India and leaving an impact through social media and mobile apps, cyber police and other anti-terrorist watchdogs will have to gear up to keep a check on their build-up and transitions. India’s cyber security apparatus is currently in a shambles and there is no reason why the government should avoid this looming disaster any longer. New age wars are not going to be fought in the battlefields. It is cyber warfare that India needs to develop a counter to. Chinese hacks of India’s top bureaucrats and ministries have already blown holes in India’s cyber security preparedness. Already having harmed the humanity enough, it is high time to bring an end to the new antics being adopted by the ISI. The sooner India gets on with it, the better it will be.
