Sunday 25 December 2011

Who Is Manipulating Blogspot Blogs: Google Or Malicious Competitors?

Abuses of Google are jeoparadising its reputation and trust. Google platforms like Blogs are often manipulated wither by internal rouge employees or by external malicious users. In the past, bugs in Google’s webmaster tools allowed anyone to remove a site from Google even if he is not the owner or controller of the removed site. Further, the report abuse button on the Blogs is itself abused by competitors and malicious users. If you are lucky and somehow managed to save you Blog from being removed from Google, censorship of Blogs by Google is there to add to your woes.

Our Blog titled Cyber Laws In India is one such Blog that has been removed from Google. New posts are not appearing in the search results although a site operator shows the same. But none is interested in reading blog posts by doing site operator function as it is a diagnostic method and not a way to find new contents. Even results at Blog search have been affected.

Thanks to some rouge employee’s action at Google or an over protective automated bot of Google or some over zealous competitor, our Blog has been demoted and delisted from Google. However, there must be some mechanism where a real person may check the misdeeds of either Google’s employees or system or those malicious users who are generating false positives.

Our Blog seems to be a victim of rivalry by our competitors. If not, than it is an internal issue of Google and it must be investigated further. There is nothing wrong on the part of Google in these cases except that it must analyse things first before banning. If Google restores back the accounts that means there was nothing wrong with the contents. All that is wrong on the part of Google is that it has a policy that allows "ban first restore later" that must be changed.

Saturday 24 December 2011

Why Google Censored Cyber Laws In India Blog

Recently Internet intermediaries in India were asked to pre screen contents. Basically it meant that India wanted companies like Google and Facebook to censor users’ contents. While pre screening of users contents was out rightly rejected by these Internet intermediaries yet censorship on the basic of governmental demands seems to have been accepted.

At least Google is manipulating search engine results page (SERPs) and blogs search results in India. It seems Google has succumbed to the pressures of either Indian government or some rouge employees of Google are doing it on behalf of Indian government or private players.

It is not the case that Google was not doing this previously. In the past Google has censored Aadhar and UIDAI related search results. For some strange reasons Google is engaging in two forms of web censorship. The first one is by putting relevant and critical posts in blackholes. The second method is by actively manipulating the Google news and search results.

Further, it has also temporarily filtered some of our posts questioning the practice of World Bank to grant unaccountable loans to countries like India. Further, international loans and grants related posts questioning the role of World Bank and Indian government are also poorly placed in search results.

Google has been in controversies from time to time. Whether it is illegal data gathering, censorship of Google news searches, manipulation of search results, etc, Google has been doing it all. Clearly, Google is loosing the search related quality due to these manipulations. Now Google is trying to manipulate with the news results as well as search engines results pages (SERPs) by expressly going against its motto of don’t be evil.

The latest to add to this growing censorship list of Google is our blog titled Cyber Laws In India. Its SERPs and blog search results have been degraded to such an extent that it has now almost become unavailable. The webmaster tool is not showing any defect or problem and the blog is perfect in every sense. Still it has been degraded without any reason. Perhaps censorship at the instance of either Indian government or a private party is the sole reason. Let the Google explain the same.

Now consider the search engines like Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo. They have acquired a good reputation and goodwill among the users due to their consistency and lack of censorship activities. Time has come to test Google’s intentions and claims before relying upon them.

Internet Banking Cyber Security In India

Internet banking is both a necessity and evil. As a necessity it brings conform and time efficiency. As a drawback, it attracts various forms of financial frauds and cyber crimes. With the removal of limits for financial transaction through mobile banking in India, more such cyber crimes and financial frauds are anticipated.

These are the few good posts in this regard that have been shared in the last week:

(1) Internet Banking Risks In India

(2) Cyber Security Of Internet Banking In India

(3) Indian Internet Banking Risks

(4) Indian Cyber Security Of Internet Banking

(5) Insecure Online Banking

(6) Data Security And Privacy In Indian Banking Industry

(7) Data Security, Cyber Security And Privacy In Indian Banking Industry

(8) Online Banking System Of India

(9) ICICI Online Banking System

Clearly, there is an urgent need on the part of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure that the guidelines prescribed by it are immediately implemented by the banks of India. Let us hope that banking customer’s interests would be safeguarded by RBI and Indian banks that is neglected for the time being.

Source: Cyber Laws In India Blog

Cyber Security Of Internet Banking In India

Internet banking in India or e-banking in India is a process that involves use of information and communication technology (ICT) for doing various banking related transactions. While use of ICT for banking purposes in India has many advantages yet there are certain cyber law, cyber security and due diligence tasks as well that Indian banks must perform to escape civil and criminal liabilities.

Banks in India are required to not only ensure cyber due diligence in India but also cyber security due diligence in India. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has very categorically told Indian banks to ensure effective cyber security in their day to day affairs and banking transactions. However, banks in India are not complying with RBI’s cyber security due diligence requirements.

Internet banking risks in India are increasing rapidly. Even the RBI acknowledged Internet banking risks in India. Although electronic banking in India has many advantages and convenient to handle yet online banking risks in India cannot be ignored by either the banks or its customers.

Unfortunately, Indian banks are poor at cyber security. This is resulting in an increase in banking related cyber crimes and financial frauds. For instance, Citigroup Inc recently confirmed that computer hackers breached the bank's network and accessed data on hundreds of thousands of bank card holders. Similarly, a security researcher has recently proved that Internet banking system of ICICI is not cyber secure.

Obviously, Internet banking in India is not cyber secure and RBI must urgently step in to remedy this situation. RBI’s ombudsman office is already flooded with complaints of ATM frauds. Similarly, phishing complaints are also on rise where customers’ money is misappropriated. Banks in India must voluntarily build cyber security mechanism and also implement the recommendations of RBI in this regard. Even better would be to enact a dedicated Internet banking law in India.

Internet Banking Risks In India

Technology has brought many benefits for banking consumers in India. However, technology has also given birth to many unforeseen challenges. Cyber security challenges of Internet banking in India have grown tremendously in the past. In fact, Internet banking in India is not cyber secure despite the recommendations of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Banks in India are ignoring the cyber security due diligence requirements prescribed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Internet banking is a very important aspect of Indian banking industry. Internet banking not only provides instant banking facilities but it also confers mobility to the account holders. However, cyber security of internet banking infrastructure of India is the need of the hour. Instances of theft of money through hacking of accounts of the accounts holders are fast becoming a trend in India.

This is partly due to the ignorance of the accounts holders and partly due to the weak cyber laws of India. The account holders are increasingly targeted for phishing attacks that result in loosing of sensitive banking information.

According to Praveen Dalal, Managing Partner of Perry4Law and the leading Techno-Legal Expert of India, the Information Technology Act 2008 has made most of the cyber crimes and cyber offences “bailable”. India has made its cyberspace a “free zone” and “safe heaven” for cyber criminals and cyber offenders. He says that now even after committing hacking in India a person would be entitled to “bail” as a matter of right. There is nothing that prevents such cyber criminals from committing cyber crimes in India in the absence of a deterrent law.

This has resulted in an increased spate of cyber crimes including hacking of the e-mail IDs of the Internet banking users and stealing of their money.

Further, India has also become one of the most endemic surveillance societies of the World. Confidential information is already vulnerable and with the proposed Indian plans of installing key loggers at cyber cafes, the same would exclude the use of cyber cafes for these purposes. Although cyber cafés are not a good place to transact confidential matters yet with a poor Internet penetration in India this may still happen, says Dalal.

With a weak cyber law, lack of cyber security awareness and increasing e-surveillance initiatives in India, Internet banking disputes are bound to increase in India. The government is least bothered about these issues and ultimately the account holders would have to bear the financial losses.

Thursday 22 December 2011

Is Online Banking System Of India Cyber Secure?

Cyber security in India is still not considered seriously by various stakeholders. Whether it is governmental departments, financial institutions, banks, private companies, etc none of them have taken cyber security seriously so far. An implementable national cyber security policy of India is also missing. In the absence of India’s national cyber security policy, cyber security has not been suitable adopted by various stakeholders. Even there is no legal framework for cyber security in India.

Cyber security for banking and financial sectors of India is urgently required as they perform very crucial functions. Realising the necessity of ensuring cyber security for these sectors, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has in the past constituted a working group on information security. RBI issued a “notification” asking the banks of India to comply with its recommendations.

As per RBI’s recommendations, all banks should create a position of chief information officers (CIOs) as well as steering committees on information security at the board level at the earliest. However, banks of India have shown no willingness to incorporate cyber security into their day to day functions. Till now the directions of RBI to appoint CIOs and steering committee has not been followed by banks of India. The recommendations of the RBI have still not been implemented. Naturally, Indian banks are poor at developing cyber security policies and implementing the same.

Cyber Security Policy is an issue that is very important for Banks of India, says Praveen Dalal, managing partner of New Delhi base ICT law firm Perry4Law and leading cyber law expert of India. With the growing use of Internet Banking, ATM machines, Credit and Debit Cards, Online Banking, etc, Banks of India must also upgrade their Cyber Security Infrastructure and establish a Cyber Security Policy, suggests Dalal.

For example Citigroup had recently confirmed cyber attack upon bank’s network. It is also well known that a timely and appropriate cyber due diligence could have prevented such attacks and various cyber frauds that are growing in the banking sector of India.

Few more areas that Indian banks must keep in mind include cyber security due diligence for banks in India, e-discovery for due diligence for banks in India, cyber law compliances, ATM frauds and phishing attacks, etc. However, the big question is are Indian banks ready for cyber due diligence?

In the past, RBI imposed penalty upon 19 banks for non compliance of prescribed standards. Similarly, RBI has also directed that any strictures passed against directors of a bank by any financial sector regulators must be reported to it. Non compliance of the recommendations of RBI working group may attract both penalty and strictures. However, banks in India are least bothered regarding cyber law and cyber security due diligence in India. Times again instances of cyber crimes and cyber breaches are reported in India and the position remains the same.

For instance, Yash, a chief technology officer in a cyber-security startup firm, has developed a proof-of-concept virus to attack the ICICI Online banking using the Man-in-Middle / Man-in-Browser attack method. It shows what an attack can do to an online banking customer who uses ICICI online banking facility and how it can result in financial loss.

A video also shows how virus can control your Internet explorer and manipulate ICICI Bank transactions in real time. The user is unaware that a virus is running, he logs into ICICI Online bank and performs an online transaction, the virus modifies the destination payee information in real-time and redirects the fund to an attacker account without the knowledge of the user. The same virus can be extended to any browser.

An integrated modern banking law for India is in pipeline and it would be a good idea to make it techno legal in nature so that it can address cyber crimes and cyber security in a more effective manner. Corporate and banking laws in India are in the process of being streamlined. RBI has even issues a notification prescribing enhanced due diligence measures for high risks customers in India.

Banks in India need to adopt techno legal measures to prevent ATM and other similar financial frauds and cyber crimes. Further, cyber due diligence trainings for bank employees can also be beneficial in this regard. Banks must also appoint steering committees and CIOs as soon as possible.

Cyber due diligence for banks in India should be made mandatory by RBI and through various pending and existing legal frameworks. Cyber law due diligence in India is already applicable to banks of India in certain circumstances and these liabilities are going to be more stringent in near future. The sooner the banks adopt these due diligence practices the better it would be for these banks.

Monday 19 December 2011

ICT And Cyber Law Lawyers In India

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a field that requires good working knowledge about technology. If we add legal issues to it, ICT dealings become techno legal in nature. This techno legal nature of laws like cyber law and fields like cyber forensics, cyber security, etc poses big challenge for legal fraternity world wide.

For instance, we have very few cyber law firms in India. There are a few cyber law firms in India that are providing cyber law due diligence services in Delhi, India. In fact, these law firms are giving cyber law a new shape in India. We would need many good cyber law lawyers and law firms in India in near future.

Perry4Law is the exclusive techno legal cyber law firm in New Delhi, India and world wide that is internationally renowned in the fields like cyber law, cyber security, cyber forensics, etc. Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) further strengthens the techno legal expertise of Perry4Law.

Although cyber security as a legal field has been acknowledged by foreign lawyers and law firms yet cyber security law firms in India or cyber security lawyers in India are still missing. In fact, Perry4Law is the exclusive cyber security law firm in New Delhi, India.

Of late, young lawyers have started to explore career in areas like cyber law and intellectual property rights (IPRs). Traditional litigation fields like civil and criminal laws are not attracting them any more.

However, making a career in cyber law is not an easy task. These young lawyers need to ensure cyber skills development so that they can effectively manage the technical aspects of cyber law. PTLB is providing the exclusive techno legal e-learning in India for various stakeholders, including young lawyers.

With the growth of online cyber law education in India, cyber law as a career for young lawyers is going to be top choice. Those seeking career in cyber law must ensure that they invest in practical trainings and not theoretical knowledge. If you wish to be a good ICT and cyber law lawyer in India, start acquainting yourself with practical aspects of cyber law.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Important RBI Press Releases And Notifications

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently issues many important and far reaching press releases and notifications. These include compounding of contraventions under the foreign exchange management act 1999 (FEMA 1999), delegation of the compounding powers of RBI to its regional offices, risks management and inter bank dealings, FDI in the form of issuance of equity shares, etc.

The following are important press releases of RBI:

(1) Compounding Of Contraventions Under FEMA, 1999

(2) RBI Delegates Compounding Powers Under FEMA To Its Regional Offices

(3) Risk Management And Inter Bank Dealings In India

(4) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) In India - Issue Of Equity Shares Under The FDI Scheme Allowed Under The Government Route

(5) Foreign Investment In Pharmaceuticals Sector - Amendment To The FDI Scheme

(6) RBI: Indian Banks’ Investments In Non Subsidiary And Non Financial Services Companies

Business entities dealing in these areas would be benefited if they go through these releases and notifications. I hope readers and various stakeholders would find them useful.

Corporate Regulatory Conditions Are Improving In India

Indian corporate environment has been struggling for long to rejuvenate itself. However, for one reason or other, corporate regulatory conditions in India remained unsatisfactory. Corporate laws in India remained old and outdated.

Finally, India considered it important to change this position. The Companies Bill 2011 has been tabled in the Lok Sabha. The proposed Bill has brought significant changes and improvements to the existing corporate legal framework of India.

Another significant and associated development in this regard is happening in the banking sector of India. An integrated modern banking law for India is in pipeline. The parliamentary standing committee on finance has suggested for such integrated law for the banking sector of India.

Even on the fronts of corruption, transparency and accountability, many crucial bills have been introduced in the Lok Sabha. Overall, this seems to be a good effort by India to streamline the corporate environment of India.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Legal Websites, Blogs And Pages In India

While searching for a legal database of websites, blogs and pages for Indian laws, I found very few of them. Further, these few results were also mainly confined to a single stream. I found this really surprising as there is no dearth of legal acumen and research in India.

This also inspired me to cover Indian law firms, lawyers, consultants, that are contributing towards spreading legal awareness in India. This is a time consuming and continuous process and it cannot be covered by single post. So I decided to cover lawyers, firms, consultants, etc one by one.

Let me start with the most active and updated legal experts in this regard. Further, let me also introduce the techno legal segment first as it covers both technical as well as legal category that is most useful.

The following are some of the very useful legal websites, blogs, pages, etc that may be helpful for readers:

(1) Bar Examination In India

(2) Citizen Journalists India

(3) Corporate Laws Of India

(4) Cyber Laws In India

(5) Human Rights Protection In Cyberspace

(6) Intellectual Property Rights Services In India

(7) International ICT Policies And Strategies

(8) Legal Enablement Of ICT Systems In India

(9) LPO And KPO In India

(10) Online Techno Legal Cyber Law Education

(11) Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB)

(12) Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) Blog

(13) Perry4Law Techno Legal ICT Training Centre (PTLITC)

(14) Perry4Law- The Exclusive Techno Legal ICT And IP Law Firm Of The World

(15) Sales, Concepts And Theories

(16) Techno Legal Centre For Lifelong Learning In India

(17) Techno Legal E-Learnings In India By PTLB

(18) Techno Legal Journalists

(19) Techno Legal News

(20) Techno Legal Online Dispute Resolution Services In India

(21) Techno Legal Skills Development In India

The list is just illustrative and not exhaustive. Other sites may also be there that I would cover subsequently. I hope viewers would find this collection of techno legal websites useful for their purposes.

Author: Ram K Kaushik

Monday 5 December 2011

India Wants Google And Facebook To Censor User Content

E-surveillance in India is on rise. The latest trend is moving in the direction of surveillance of Internet traffic in India without constitutional procedure and safeguards. Civil liberties in cyberspace like speech and expression, right to privacy, etc are in grave danger in India.

Initially these Internet intermediaries did not pay much attention towards the draconian laws that Indian government have passed in the recent time. Experts like Praveen Dalal have been stressing upon dropping of unconstitutional amendments like information technology amendment act 2008. However, Internet intermediaries kept a mum keeping in mind their commercial interests.

Now things have taken really dangerous shape for all of the Internet stakeholders in India. In fact, Yahoo took Indian government to court over e-surveillance and more such litigations are expected in the near future.

Now Internet intermediaries in India like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and social media sites like Facebook have been asked to prescreen user content from India and to remove disparaging, inflammatory or defamatory content before it goes online.

Supreme Court of India is already dealing with privacy issues arising in the cyberspace. Now the only question that remains to be answered is will Supreme Court of India protect privacy rights of Indians in cyberspace?