The Dark Visitor

India considers attacks on its information network by Chinese hackers a threat to national security:

(f) Cyber War and Cyber Terrorism in India

India is also suffering from the menaces of cyber war and cyber terrorism. Nobody cares about any these threats in India. Far more citizens were concerned of the Amarnath issue than by potential risks of nuclear conflict, or near-breakdowns in Net and mobile security.[2] China’s intensified cyber warfare against India is becoming a serious threat to national security. In October 2007, Chinese hackers defaced over 143 Indian websites. In April 2008, Indian intelligence agencies detected Chinese hackers breaking into the computer network of the Ministry of External Affairs forcing the government to think about devising a new strategy to fortify the system. As a countermeasure, the Indian armed forces are trying to enhance their C4ISR capabilities, so that the country can launch its own cyber offensive if the need arises.[3] Similarly, Pakistan is taking steps to intensify its cyber war propaganda against India with the help of its intelligence outfit, the ISI by carrying reports of alleged communal fissures taking place on the Indian side of Kashmir.[4] Issues like these have to be resolved as well.

This is a very good summary of Chinese hacker attacks on India, to include speculation on mapping of their information infrastructure:

China’s intensified cyber warfare against India is becoming a serious threat to national security. The desire to possess ‘electronic dominance’ over India has compelled Chinese hackers to attack many crucial Indian websites and over the past one and a half years, they have mounted almost daily attacks on Indian computer networks - both government and private.

In October 2007, for example, Chinese hackers defaced over 143 Indian websites. Phishing is a term derived from fishing, and is a fraudulent activity on the Internet to acquire personal information. In phishing, the hackers use spoofed e-mails to lure innocent Internet users and get their personal information like bank account number, credit card details, and password and so on.

Read more here…

Routine business:

NEW DELHI: Hackers have struck again with nearly 10 websites belonging to various ministries and departments of the government of India coming under attack in the last 24 hours. The hackers are suspected to be from China, though there was no official confirmation.

Confirming the cyber attack, a senior IT ministry official told DNA, “Low to medium intensity cyber intrusions into web servers maintained by the Indian government have been reported.”

New Delhi…just shrugs.

Someone passed on an article on the Times of India website this morning regarding ongoing attacks from the PRC to various government and private entities in India.  From the article:

There are three main weapons in use against Indian networks — BOTS, key loggers and mapping of networks. According to sources in the government, Chinese hackers are acknowledged experts in setting up BOTS.

The article is short on technical details but is interesting anyway.  Comments (especially from Indian readers) welcome.

Article link.