Army probes espionage angle over security breach in Whatsapp group

THE CASE COULD FALL UNDER THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT, ACCORDING TO AN OFFICIAL

The Indian Army is investigating a possible espionage angle in an alleged security breach in which some military personnel are under the scanner for leaking sensitive information on social media, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The alleged breach took place in some Whatsapp groups, and the probe is looking into the possibility of the information falling into the wrong hands, said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.

It appears to be a case of cyber security breach, and all angles are being investigated and strict action will be taken if anyone is found to be guilty as the matter could fall under the Official Secrets Act, said a second official, who also asked not to be identified. The Official Secrets Act (1923), applicable to government servants and citizens, provides the framework for dealing with potential threats to the integrity of the nation, and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment.

While the army spokesperson did not comment on the case, officials familiar with the matter refused to give out further details on the exact nature of the breach, the number of people under the scanner, or where the information may have ended up.

It was also not clear which or how many Whatsapp groups were involved.

The alleged breach occurred despite strict guidelines on use of social media by armed forces personnel. Such guidelines are revised and disseminated time and again, said a third official.

There is a serious issue here as people think that all messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted on Whatsapp and share information freely, said military affairs expert Lieutenant General Rakesh Sharma (retd). “These companies have servers outside India and the possibility of inimical elements picking up catch phrases using sophisticated software is always there. Any kind of encryption can be compromised. Military personnel need to understand these hazards,” he added.

The use of smartphones and social media came under sharp focus three years ago when some navy personnel were arrested for allegedly passing on information to Pakistan, through a spying racket which had agents posing as women on social media.

The same year, the army asked its personnel to alter the settings of Whatsapp to rule out the possibility of being added to groups run by the Pakistani intelligence to gather sensitive information about the force.

The army then issued an advisory to its personnel alerting them about the risk of being automatically added to Whatsapp groups created by intelligence operatives from the neighbouring country, after a soldier reported that he was added to one such group without consent.