THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 25 October 2019 (Escaping the honey trap (The Hindu))

Escaping the honey trap (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Security
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Cybersecurity

Context

• In June, it was discovered that a Pakistani spy going by the Facebook name “Sejal Kapoor” had hacked into the computer systems of more than 98 personnel of various defence forces, including the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, between 2015 and 2018
• Amongst other things, classified details of the BrahMos missile programme were leaked to Pakistan. In this context, it is necessary to understand the history, issues and way forward.

The history

• During World War II, Salon Kitty, a Berlin brothel, was used by the German intelligence service for espionage.
• Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany recruited men to seduce women in important positions in West Germany.

Issues

• Facebook admitted that up to 270 million of its accounts are fake. These are mostly bots or honey traps.
• Most of the traps are via the pornographic sites.
• Malware is readily available on the darknet to anyone with a cryptocurrency wallet. So, every keyboard is practically a weapon.

Way forward

• The military intelligence is carrying out selective checks on phones, laptops and desktops of officers and soldiers in sensitive areas which is a good step.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation runs fake child pornographic websites to catch offenders of the same crime which can be replicated.
• Investing in the latest technologies for early and better detection of viruses;
• Conducting frequent workshops to sensitise defence personnel against cyber risks;
• Conducting timely reviews and audits of all devices;
• Developing better protocols in the event of contamination;
• Developing a doctrine to hit back.

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  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to REPLAN (REducing PLAstic in Nature) project, consider the following statements:
1. The project is a part of Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) commitment to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
2. In this project, the waste plastic is collected, cleaned, chopped, beaten and treated for softness and after that, it is mixed with the paper raw material.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) None of the above

Ans: B
Mains Questions:
Q.1) How India can deal with an age-old spy craft that has been reinvented for the digital age?