Government to issue guidelines to Internet service providers

New Delhi, Sep 16 : The Union Government is planning to issue guidelines to Internet service providers to secure wireless fidelity (WiFi) networks so that terrorists do not use it to send threatening e-mails.

"We are always in constant talks with the Department of Telecom on security issues. We might take some action soon," Department of Information Technology Special Secretary R Chandrashekar said.

The move comes on the heels of a group called Indian Mujahideen using an unprotected WiFi network to send emails almost at the same time of the serial blasts in Ahmedabad and Delhi.

"We cannot blame anyone if we forget to lock our own rooms. The ISPs should provide all these features of password and password protection," said a Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTC-in) senior official.

CERTC-in is preparing detailed guidelines for Internet service providers, which will be issued soon.

"We will soon issue guidelines to the ISPs after consultations with DoT and DIT," the official said.

Security agencies had demanded that password protection should be made mandatory for every customer using the WiFi technology, an issue supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

At the time of the Ahmedabad blasts, militants had used the unsecured WiFi system of an American national, Kenneth Haywood, and in case of Delhi blasts, they had used the network of a family in Chembur, Mumbai.

ANI