Hyderabad: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) plans to develop its own cyber intelligence network to track communications among and within terror groups operating in Kashmir and the northeast.
For several years, the CRPF has been finding it difficult to track conversations which are encrypted and routed through various computers.
Intelligence agencies have success in tracing communications through satellite phones but have found that terror groups active in Kashmir and the northeast have begun using custom software products for encrypted communication.
Sources reveal that top officials of the CRPF are planning to develop an intelligence network, which will include ethical hackers, to detect and analyse conversations among terror groups.
The CRPF has taken note of some websites that are suspected to be operated by terror groups. These sites are not stored in the country of their organisation; instead, they are hosted on servers in countries which have more liberal laws regarding the freedom of speech.
The sources say that the CRPF has noticed that terror groups are using the Internet as an effective tool for recruitment. They have servers and websites dedicated to propaganda and fund-raising activities.
An expert in cybersecurity intelligence operations, on condition of anonymity, said that platforms such as WhatsApp use end-to-end encryption, which makes it impossible to intercept and read messages sent between two people. Certain websites use sophisticated internet protocols to encrypt information.
Though it is impossible for cops to crack these codes, it is not a difficult task for hackers who use anonymous servers. He says that defence forces often engage the services of such hackers.
An official from the CRPF says that technical team has been exploring possibilities to set up an intelligence network consisting of hackers to help the force effectively combat terror forces.
