Air Force looks to IITs to tackle Chinese hackers

Alarmed by reports from top foreign agencies about three computer systems of Indian Airforce (IAF) installed at sensitive bases being compromised by Chinese hackers, the IAF has decided to call in two Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to hack into their systems and plug the loopholes within.

Of the three stations where IAF computer systems are installed, one is just across the prime minister’s 7 Race Course residence. Two other systems are installed outside Delhi.

A senior IAF official on condition of anonymity told ‘DNA’: “We want to see how fragile we are and what we need to do in case someone breaks into our systems.” He, however, hastened to add that the IAF was not sure whether a Chinese hacker had stolen data from its computers as reported by the US agencies.

The issue was discussed at a recently concluded IAF commanders’ conference on cyber crime. IITs would also suggest options for safety to IAF for their computers. A senior officer said the Chinese hacking did not bother the IAF, but it was important for them to learn precautionary measures.

The officer said that though operational plans were not digitised in
the services and with systems having atleast three firewalls and algorithms in place in IAF, breaking through may not be easy for hackers.

But IAF seems to have decided to take some tough steps. In 2006, IAF set up its largest online network with 166 nodes, for logistic duties, all over the country, called Integrated Materials Management Online Services (IMMOLS). The system aims to improve the availability of items leading to an enhanced serviceability of weapon systems and to reduce inventory costs by minimising non-moving inventory.

Following in the footsteps of the Pentagon, where professional hackers are called in to hack systems for a large sum, IAF has, as a precautionary step, approached the technical institutions so that steps can be taken to plug these loopholes.

A source said the Pentagon also dissuades professional hackers by paying them large amounts as part of an agreement that the hackers would not compromise the Pentagon computers.

Multinational companies too protected their intellectual property through their own network systems guarded by firewalls. IAF has decided to go the same way, the source said, but refused to divulge details about paying the hackers to keep them from compromising its computers.