CYBER SECURITY IN ARMED FORCES
The military’s primary goal is to provide security to all citizens. Be it physical, mental, financial, or technological. With the rise in cyber-attacks, making this mission more difficult as it’s becoming increasingly onerous to protect themselves as well the population of one’s country. Cyber-attacks could potentially damage or cripple critical weapons platforms, major communications and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems, and vital infrastructure, undermining the military’s preparedness and war-fighting capabilities. Therefore, each country has its special intelligence force that is responsible for looking into the technological aspects of a nation's security.
PURPOSE:
The cyber cell of a country places significant importance on protecting the country against cyberspace attacks. The Military maintains offensive cyber capabilities to target enemies, as well as defensive capabilities to detect and mitigate cyber-attacks from opponents. Cyber security officers manage these defensive operations. These officers are responsible for protecting military networks and the country against cyber-attacks from enemy forces. Cyber security officers provide the Military with a source of expertise for the defense of strategic and tactical information networks with proper employment and support. They oversee information assurance programs and help protect our nation’s cyber capabilities. In india it is the work of Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) to look into the cyber affairs.
HISTORY:
India’s Defense Cyber Agency was formally created in 2019, and its establishment marked a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen its cyber security posture. The idea of creating DCyA was conceived against the backdrop of an evolving cyber threat landscape, where state-sponsored cyber-attacks and cyber espionage posed serious risks to national security. With a mandate to protect critical military networks, infrastructure, and information systems, DCyA was visualized as a dedicated entity that would counter cyber threats from both internal and external sources.
The idea was to assemble 3 sectors- a cyber command (DCyA), an aerospace command and a special operations command. All three units were proposed to be tri-service commands in order to bring the various special forces units of the military under a unified command and control structure.
DCyA:
The DCyA is an integrated tri-services agency of the Indian Armed Forces. Headquartered in New Delhi, the agency is tasked with handling cyber security threats. The DCyA draws personnel from all three branches of the Armed Forces. The head of the DCyA is an officer of two-star rank, and reports to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) through the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).
Indian Navy Rear Admiral Mohit Gupta was appointed in May 2019 as the first head of the DCyA. The DCyA was expected to be operational by November 2019. As of 2021, DCyA was fully operational with Army, Air Force, and Navy establishing their respective Cyber Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
India’s strategic location and its geopolitical relations with neighboring countries, have made it a prime target for cyber threats. Both state and non-state actors from these countries have been observed engaging in cyber espionage, cyber warfare, and misinformation campaigns against India. DCyA plays a vital role in countering such threats by deploying advanced security measures and maintaining constant vigilance.
‘The Week’ reported that the DCyA would have the capability to hack into networks, mount surveillance operations, lay honeypots, recover deleted data from hard drives and cellphones, break into encrypted communication channels, and perform other complex objectives. According to Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda, the DCyA would have the responsibility of framing a long-term policy for the security of military networks, including eliminating the use of foreign hardware and software in the Indian Armed Forces, and preparing a cyber warfare doctrine.
Objectives and Focus:
o Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure: One of the foremost tasks of DCyA is to protect the critical infrastructure of the armed forces from cyber threats. This includes securing command and control systems, communication networks, and classified military databases from unauthorized access and cyber-attacks.
- Intelligence Gathering: The agency engages in cyber intelligence gathering to stay ahead of potential threats. By monitoring and analyzing cyber activities, DCyA can identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities, enabling proactive defensive measures.
- Offensive Capabilities: While primarily a defensive entity, DCyA also possesses the capability to launch offensive cyber operations. This aspect of their operations remains classified and is executed under strict adherence to legal and ethical guidelines.
- Collaborative Approach: DCyA works in close coordination with various national security agencies and organizations to share intelligence and ensure a unified approach to countering cyber threats. Collaboration with international partners is also fostered to tackle cross-border cyber challenges.
In conclusion, India’s Defence Cyber Agency is a pivotal component of the country’s efforts to secure its cyberspace and protect its confidential information infrastructure. With a mandate to safeguard military networks, infrastructure, and information systems, DCyA plays a crucial role in countering cyber threats from adversaries like China and Pakistan. Through its operational initiatives, collaborative approach, and focus on upgrading cyberwarfare capabilities, DCyA remains at the forefront of India’s cyber defense, bolstering the nation’s security in the digital age.
CYBER SECURITY IN AIRFORCE:
In the Air Force, they are responsible for protecting our nation’s cyberspace so the mission can stay on track while our data is protected from foreign threats. They’re also in charge of supervising any sort of system installation, facility layouts and training programs.
CYBER SECURITY IN NAVY:
Maintaining secure communication systems within the military is essential to ensure optimal operations despite possible cyber threats that may arise throughout use. The detrimental impact of these attacks can infiltrate the organization in multifarious ways.
CYBER SECURITY IN BORDER SECURITY FORCE:
Cyber technology has clear military applications which can be exploited in conflict situations. Whether through military equipment and weapons systems, satellite and communications networks or intelligence data, the armed forces are highly dependent on information and communications technology.
Bombs are guided by GPS satellites; drones are piloted remotely from across the world; fighter planes and warships are now huge data processing centers; even the ordinary foot-soldier is being wired up. In a digital, knowledge-based society this is to be expected. But while technology brings opportunities it can also create vulnerabilities. The major powers have long recognized the strategic and tactical value of Cyber Space. Similarly, weaker states are now seeking to partially offset this asymmetry by developing their cyber capabilities. Military strategists have come to view information dominance as the precursor for overall success in a conflict.
There are many other government as well non-government cyber troops working for the country’s welfare. Some of them are Centre of Internet Security (CIS), Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), etc.
The following list of cyber-attacks that had been executed against the borders:
- 2021. Belarus: Hackers claim to have accessed full database of those crossing the country’s borders (Woollacott, 2021).
- 2021, Ukraine: Border control was hit with data-wiping malware, slowing refugee crossing (Alspach, 2022).
- 2019, USA: CBP Says Thousands of Traveler Photos Stolen in ‘Malicious Cyber-Attack’ (Levin, 2019).
- 2017, Taiwan: Since 2011, Taiwan used biometric e-Gates allowing fast-track passport control at main airports. It is suspected that the system had been compromised by a foreign government, due to a pre-installed ‘backdoor’ by the manufacturer (Everington, 2017).
- 2015, USA: Drug traffickers invested in spoofing and jamming the GPS systems of the border surveillance drones (Thompson, 2015).
One major case solved by cyber cell Indian Army:
DCyA arrested 10 alleged cyber criminals who posed as Indian Army personnel and duped over 60 people. The operation was launched after inputs were received from the Military Intelligence (MI) unit of the Southern Army Command. The alleged gang was operating from along the border junction of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan, and used multiple SIM cards, mobile phones, and bank accounts.
They adopted an “efficient method” of duping where they made a notional payment to verify the transaction for renting a property or buying some goods, primarily a second-hand vehicle, and then requested victims to share OTPs or scan QR codes, which led to the reverse transfer of funds from the victim’s accounts. The gang was busted after the apprehension of a notorious cybercriminal and alleged kingpin in the case, Sanjeev Kumar. Nine other individuals accused of duping innocent civilians were subsequently apprehended. Over 30 mobile phones, 206 SIM cards, seven laptops, a number of fabricated military ID cards, defence canteen cards, PAN numbers, and Aadhaar cards, among other items, were found by the police during this operation.
Police cases were filed against the gang and the kingpin in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, among other places.
