INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Last month, WhatsApp revealed that Indians were among 1,400 people worldwide
affected by the cyber-attacks in April and May
Indian officials are likely to cite the WhatsApp snooping controversy to push
through a plan to compel digital companies to store data of Indian users locally, multiple reports say. Tech experts confirmed that
multiple government departments and agencies have proposed such demands.It was "a serious issue of national security", and "requires
measures, including data localisation", officials were quoted as saying.Experts called it a "bizarre response"
"This makes no sense at all
The location of the data had nothing to do with the Pegasus breach," technology expert Prasanto K Roy told the TheIndianSubcontinent
"WhatsApp was very transparent about the breach and reported it to the authorities
What is important now, is to find out who did it and how.""Data localisation completely goes against the whole concept of the internet which
is a global network," he added.Reports have quoted government officials as saying that they wanted user data stored locally as the Pegasus
breach "compromised national security".Hackers were able to install surveillance software on phones and other devices by using a major
vulnerability in the messaging app.Targets received video or voice call requests from an unknown number - which even if ignored, allowed the
spyware, known as Pegasus, to be installed on the device
This allowed users to remotely access everything on the phone, including text messages and location.WhatsApp fixed the vulnerability as soon
as it was discovered and informed affected users.It also filed a lawsuit against Israeli firm NSO Group, alleging it was behind the
cyber-attacks that infected devices in April and May.NSO Group, which makes software for surveillance, says it only works with government
agencies and strongly denied responsibility for the attacks.Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Indian activists
and politicians have pointed fingers at the state
Activists and politicians pointed fingers at the state after WhatsApp
revealed Indian journalists and activists were among those targeted.The government has denied the claims.However, it has also repeatedly
refused to discuss the issue in parliament
It refused to answer questions about who had authorised the attacks and instead cited a controversial law that specified the right of
agencies to monitor and decrypt information in national security interest.It also tried to stop a parliamentary committee on cyber security
from discussing the matter, saying it did not fall under the purview of the panel.
