by rohit

October 03, 2009
from AsiaPacificGlobalThoughtz Website

 

Intelligence agencies have asked the government to consider blocking Skype. The popular global VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) engine are refusing to share the encryption code that prevents Indian investigators from intercepting conversations of suspected terrorists.

During the 26/11 Mumbai attacks VOIP was extensively used by the terrorist to communicate with their bosses, which made it extremely difficult for the security agencies to track the terrorists and intercept their calls.

 

Most VOIP providers, use an encryption mechanism to encode the voice message while transmitting the messages, this is done to prevent anyone from illegally getting into someone else conversation. But this encryption also proves to be a hassle for all the security agencies, as it prevents them from intercepting call also.

The Cabinet Committee on Security has accepted the recommendation in principle but has not set a date for initiating action.

 

Since Skype is not registered in India, Indian authorities will have to block the gateways here. to prevent Skype from working, however this might not be a complete solution, Skype can route traffic through other service providers.

What surprises me is what prevents Skype from sharing the code with India, when it has already done so with the US and China. If its in the interest of the nation, its should be justified.

 


 

 



 Spooks Want Government to Block Skype
 by Mohua Chatterjee

October 3, 2009

from TimesOfIndia Website


NEW DELHI

Intelligence agencies have asked the government to consider blocking Skype as operators of the popular global VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) engine are refusing to share the encryption code that prevents Indian investigators from intercepting conversations of suspected terrorists.

The Cabinet Committee on Security has accepted the recommendation in principle but has not set a date for initiating action. The urgency to track Skype calls stems from the fact that terrorists - as the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai showed - are increasingly using VoIP services.

 

The shift to VoIP has been prompted by the growing ability of intelligence agencies to intercept mobile and other calls.

Like the BlackBerry service, VoIP operators send their signals under a specific code which makes it difficult for others to decipher. Sources said Skype has shared its encryption code with the US, China and other governments but is refusing to accept similar Indian requests.

Since Skype is not registered here, Indian authorities have been forced to mull the drastic option of blocking its gateways here. This, however, may not be entirely effective as Skype can route traffic through other service providers. The agencies feel blocking the gateways will at least serve as a signal to local service providers against carrying traffic from Skype or any other similar service provider which does not share the encryption code with the government.

Sections 4 and 5 of the Telegraph Act gives government the right to grant license for any kind of telephony and also the right to intercept.

 

Last year, government amended Section 69 of the Information Technology Act to empower itself to take over servers of Net and telecom service providers and demand the encryption code.

 

This may still be no remedy against recalcitrant overseas service providers who usually have their servers abroad.

 

Last year, the government had a similar run-in with,

Indian agencies are also keeping their fingers crossed, not sure whether the department of telecom - with a stake in sectoral growth - would like to lean on VoIP service providers on the issue of sharing encryption code.

 

Besides, there's also a feeling that the government would be wary of people's response to the snapping of Skype. The free service is used by a vast majority of urban middle class Indians for communicating with families and friends spread across the world.

Last year, TRAI had sent a recommendation (with data from 2007), that Skype and Goggle should be asked to pay a license fee, after being brought within the license regime.

 

However, government turned it down saying they were not based in India.

 

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