HYDERABAD: Alarmed by Internet hacking and frauds reported in several software companies and BPOs, the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) has decided to take up pro-active measures to prevent such incidents.

With inputs from the Intelligence Wing that some persons may join these companies with the intention of leaking confidential data, the CID, as a first step, is planning to set-up a "Computer Emergency Response (CER) Team" comprising police personnel and Net specialists.

Leakage of data

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held by officials of CID with leading IT companies and BPOs in August first week. The CER team will immediately swing into action if the leakage of confidential data comes to light and try to contain the damage.

In a case reported in Bangalore, Nadeem Kashmiri, an employee of an offshore unit of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), allegedly colluded with some criminals and supplied them confidential consumer information that allowed them to steal over Rs.1.95 crore from an account holder of the bank in UK.

This is the third BPO fraud reported in the country.

National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) Regional Director Colonel S. V. Ramachander told The Hindu on Tuesday that modalities of the CER team would be finalised soon. Plans were afoot to set-up a separate cyber lab to train police personnel, he said.

Security measures

A CID official said the team would be formed after the next meeting scheduled to be held in September. "Team members will also visit IT companies and BPOs and assess the security measures being adopted by them to prevent theft of data, hacking and other frauds," he said.

Officials are also planning to discuss in detail on allowing pen drives and use of web-based emails inside the high security areas in corporate offices.

Unless required for operational reasons, computers here should not have floppy drives, CD writers and USB ports, they said.

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