[ubuntu-in] Antony calls for action plan to counter cyber threats

[Ramnarayan.K]

Is unplugging computers from the net a reasonable measure against
cyber spying.  The minister says that gaping holes exist in the cyber
secuity systems. This leads to the obvious question that if security
agencies find it hard to keep their data / information safe then how
safe is the data concerning the common person, that by the very nature
of its use has to be kept online (reference the grandiose UID pipe
dream)

ram

News attached below

Antony calls for action plan to counter cyber threats
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=32830
Category »  News Flash Posted On Friday, April 16, 2010
United News of India
New Delhi, Apr 16:
Defence Minister AK Antony today called upon the Army Commanders to
prepare a crisis management action plan to counter cyber attacks and
cyber terrorism in coordination with various national cyber agencies.
Addressing the Unified Commanders' Conference here Mr Antony said
cyber-space had emerged as an important medium for information-sharing
but at the same time, the existing technology was susceptible to
misuse by anti-social and anti-national elements.
''Of late, extraordinary and unprecedented cyber crimes have taken
place across the globe, exposing gaping holes in cyber security
systems. Although Defence Services at all levels have taken steps to
counter cyber threat through stringent implementation of cyber
security policy, there is still a requirement to ensure that all
loopholes in this regard are suitably plugged,'' he said.
The government has already constituted a committee to look into the
issue of cyber security with regard to strategic data maintained by
Defence Services.
The committee includes, among others, Secretaries of Defence Ministry
and the Department of Information Technology.
The Standing Committee on Defence in its report, while describing it
as a step in the right direction, has asked the government that all
initiatives should be taken by involving various technical agencies
like C-DoT and cyber experts in the country to ensure fool-proof
security of defence data being maintained in computers and servers by
Defence Services.
Describing the recent cases of cyber attacks as ''reminders of our own
vulnerabilities,'' the Defence Minister said close interaction with
national agencies like Computer and Emergency Response Team (CERT-In),
NTRO, MHA and Ministry of Communication and IT to prepare crisis
management action plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber
terrorism was essential.
The opening of the two-day Conference was attended among others by
Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju, the Chairman Chiefs of
Staff Committee and the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P V Naik,
Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, Chief of Army Staff General
V K Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Chief of Integrated Staff
Committee Air Marshal S C Mukul and Commanders and Officers from the
Service Headquarters and Ministry of Defence.
Mr Antony expressed happiness over the progress made to improve
coordination among Armed Forces in various spheres.