New Delhi, March 26 – The busting of a spy network in Ghaziabad has prompted intelligence agencies to conduct an audit of closed-circuit television (CCTV) feeds in various parts of the country. Officials say that the ISI has been heavily relying on CCTV cameras to obtain live feeds from sensitive locations.
The audit will cover most parts of Delhi and Mumbai, where it has been found that the ISI has been actively gathering information.
Obtaining information using CCTV cameras has become the new norm for ISI-backed spying networks in India.
Those involved in the network were instructed to focus on setting up CCTV cameras at sensitive locations such as public offices, railway stations, and bus stands across the country, with the aim of obtaining live feeds to plan attacks.
An official from the Intelligence Bureau said that this eliminates the need for physical reconnaissance of the target. In the Mumbai 26/11 attack case, it was found that David Headley had visited the city on several occasions and conducted a thorough reconnaissance of the targets.
The ISI wants to eliminate this risk, and CCTV cameras are a useful tool.
Investigations have revealed that CCTV cameras were to be installed in nearly 60 locations across the country. These included locations in Delhi, Mumbai, and Jammu and Kashmir. The task was to identify places where security is typically lax. Army installations and other sensitive locations were not on the radar of this network. These places are difficult to penetrate, so it was decided to target railway stations, bus stands, crowded markets, and government offices, which are less sensitive.
An investigating official said that the network is complex. The recruitment pattern is interesting, with a greater emphasis on recruiting women and minors.
In addition to these, other recruits were in their early 20s. An official said that recruiters lured these people with money before recruiting them. One of the accused, Meera, was tasked not only with gathering information and setting up CCTV cameras, but also with setting up an all-women wing for the ISI's spying activities.
The police also arrested a 17-year-old boy who was part of a cell tasked with recruiting minors. Such recruits are easily coaxed, and the lure of money attracts them. Another official explained that the emphasis is more on the money rather than ideology.
During the investigation, it was also found that these individuals had several social media accounts. Teenagers are better at handling social media, which is an added advantage. Hence, during the investigation, it was found that minors and other younger recruits had created several social media accounts. A preliminary assessment of these accounts revealed that they were not used to pass on information, but to invite others to join the network.
Another official said that with this new tactic coming to light, it is very important to conduct a CCTV audit. One challenge is that the CCTV network is not centrally controlled. Adding to this is the advent of solar-powered CCTV cameras, which do not require any effort to set up.
The ISI had instructed the accused to install at least three solar-powered CCTV cameras at public places, including railway stations, so that they could obtain a detailed view of the area. This makes it easier for ISI-backed elements to conduct a thorough reconnaissance of the area.
Furthermore, during an attack, the ISI can also provide live guidance to the terrorists by watching the CCTV camera feed on their mobile phones.
Another official explained that the problem is that there are lakhs of CCTV cameras that have been installed. The police, railways, municipal bodies, and private establishments have multiple cameras installed across the cities. Installing a CCTV camera by an ISI-recruited spy does not normally attract the attention of law enforcement agencies. This is the vulnerability that has been exploited to carry out spying activities using CCTV cameras, the official also explained.
The audit will also provide suggestions on how to make CCTV cameras more secure. Currently, the system is vulnerable due to the use of default passwords. Moreover, the devices are very cheap, and there is no background check when buying CCTV cameras. They are also easily available online at low costs, which again makes the CCTV camera a deadly spying weapon.
The Union Government is tightening regulations relating to CCTV systems. From April 1 onwards, the government is likely to allow the sale of only STQC-certified cameras, as they are less prone to hacking.
Furthermore, an integrated surveillance framework will be set up, which will include unique device registration, strict cybersecurity standards, and unique device registration.