Annual North Zone Conference Organized By Punjab LSA On Telecom Security

Chandigarh: Punjab LSA Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Director General Telecom HQs organized an Annual North Zone Conference on Security related matters on 13th October 2023 at Taj, Sector 17, Chandigarh, Punjab. The event was attended by more than 100 participants, including officers of DoT, delegates of Central LEAs including MHA, NCB, CBDT, DRI, IB, and State Police of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ladakh, and Uttar Pradesh. Representatives of Telecom Service Providers viz Airtel, Reliance Jio, BSNL, Vodafone Idea Ltd., COAI, ISPAI, and C-DOT were also present.

The conference was inaugurated by Sh. Ajay Kumar Sahu, Member (Services), Digital Communication Commission (DCC). In his inaugural address, Sh. Sahu emphasized the importance of telecom security and the need for closer interaction and better coordination among all stakeholders in addressing the emerging challenges.

Subsequently, presentations and discussions were held on the following security related topics:

• Digital intelligence unit (DIU)

• Experience sharing/Panel discussion of effective Utilisation of Sanchar Sathi module-TAFCOP, CEIR & facial recognition system-ASTR.

• Unearthing of illegal telephone setup-Way forward
• TSOC
• Cyber Police Portal - Utilization and curbing of misuse of telecom resources
• Cyber security and digital forensics
• CMS/IMS-Introduction and feature desired by LEAs.

The conference concluded with a vote of thanks by Sh. Naresh Khanna, Addl. Director General, Punjab and Addl. Director General Telecom.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the conference:

• The telecom sector is facing a growing number of security threats, including cyber attacks, fraud, and misuse of telecom resources.
• There is a need for closer interaction and better coordination among all stakeholders, including government agencies, telecom service providers, and law enforcement agencies, to address these challenges.
• Digital technologies can play a vital role in enhancing telecom security. For example, the Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) can be used to collect, analyze, and share intelligence on emerging threats.
• Telecom service providers have a responsibility to implement robust security measures and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting cyber crimes.
• Law enforcement agencies need to be equipped with the latest tools and technologies to investigate and prosecute cyber crimes.

The conference was a valuable platform for stakeholders to share their experiences and best practices in telecom security. The deliberations will help to pave the way for a safer, more secure, and more resilient telecom infrastructure.