Police using its own network to crack down cyber crime

The Delhi Police have decided to fight fire with fire — by using its own ‘networking’ skills to get the better of cyber criminals on social networking websites.

The Delhi Police have decided to fight fire with fire — by using its own ‘networking’ skills to get the better of cyber criminals on social networking websites.

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With everyone from professional hackers to IT professionals on their (unofficial) cyber crime-fighting ‘friends list’, tech-savvy police officers are increasingly combining traditional methods of policing with technical expertise provided by ‘good-willed’ computer experts.

“More and more young adults, aged between 18 to 25 years, are taking to the internet to settle personal scores by defaming victims through fake profiles and hacking emails. As many as three complaints relating to fake profiles are brought to our notice every day,” said a senior police officer from the Crime Branch.

Till the end of October this year, as many as 180 ‘bona fide’ cases of fake profiles, 111 cases of abusive emails and more than 70 cases of defamation were registered by the Cyber Crime Cell of the Delhi Police.

With the above translating into a 700% increase in cyber crime as compared to last year, the police have reacted by doubling its manpower — and something extra. “We now have one additional DCP, an assistant commissioner of police (ACP), eight inspectors and 10 sub-inspectors, trained in fighting cyber crime from the IP University, and some unofficial sources,” the officer said.

The unofficial sources consist of good Samaritans in the form of discerning cyber law experts, employees of IT companies tipping them off about the latest malicious bug on the net and even some professional hackers.

“When it comes to cyber crime, which evolves as often as technology itself, and is more dynamic than traditional crime, no investigation relating to it can be water-tight. We rely on our own contacts, our own friends working for IT firms and engineers kind enough to keep us in the loop about what’s happening online,” the officer added.