MP: Telecom Companies' Data Being Leaked On Dark Web, Six Lakh People Vulnerable To Frauds

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Ever wondered how cyber crooks garner all the accurate details about a target person they are about to dupe? Senior officials at the district cyber crime cell claimed that data from the telecom companies is being leaked on the dark web, which includes people’s personal details - their cell phone number, IMEI number, banking account details and other private information.

Officials at the district cyber cell told Free Press that they are, however, unsure about if the data is being leaked accidentally, or is being sold on the dark web.

The state cyber cell officials said that a major portion of the data is being leaked from one of the state-owned telecom companies on the dark web, and it is noteworthy that almost six lakh people from Bhopal are consumers of the said telecom company, which makes them vulnerable to cyber frauds.

When more information was sought from the cyber cell officials in this regard, it was learnt that almost 300 GB of data has been leaked on the dark web till now, and as it is a realm shrouded with mystery, the district cyber cell, as well as the state cyber cell have been unable to ascertain how and from where are the dark net activities being carried out.

Audits not carried out since a long time

When the reason behind the data leak from the state-owned telecom company was sought, a senior cyber crime official, requesting not to be named, told Free Press that the audits at the telecom company offices in Bhopal, and across the state, have not been carried out since many years, which is a pivotal reason behind the data leak.

Practice rampant on dark web, but no complaints received till now: Additional DCP (Crime)

Additional Deputy Commissioner of police (Crime branch) Shailendra Singh Chouhan acknowledged that the practice of data selling and data leak is rampant on the dark web. He, however, added that as no official complaints have been received in this regard till now, the cyber cell cannot take action.