With the ongoing debate over the security concerns of telecom equipment, Department of Telecom (DoT) has reportedly told the PMO that just by testing the gears is no guarantee of elimination of various threats from “malicious codes and programmes“.
This came in response to the answers that the PMO was seeking from the Department of Telecom (DoT) regarding challenges and future of the Preferential Market Access (PMA) policy. The policy was approved by the Cabinat in the month of February this year to tackle the security threats that installed equipment pose in telecom networks.
DoT replied by saying that “there is a possibility of malicious codes being implanted during the stage of manufacturing and after manufacturing but before putting into the network or even after putting the network elements in to the network,” PTI reported. “Although security testing of equipment to some extent can deal with the situation but it is no panacea,” it further added.
The policy recommends checking security threats by use of domestically manufactured products, among others, has received sharp criticism from foreign companies and trade associations, reports the Hindu Business Line.
The DoT cleared it to the PMO that the telecom networks today rely majorly on software, which can be remotely accessed from any part of the world. This makes it more vulnerable and susceptible to cyber attacks.
“Disruption in telecom services can have disability effect not only on the economic sectors of the country but even on strategic sector (like defence) as well. Therefore, security of the telecom network is of paramount importance,” sources told Hindu Business Line.
DoT, thereby, recommended that not only should the testing be done but the telecom product should ideally be manufactured under “sovereign control so that the problem is controlled at the root itself. Domestically made electronics product will be subject to meeting technical specifications and matching lower price.”
“Under PMA, there is no distinction between Indian company and foreign company. All companies manufacturing in India are judged on value addition criterion to qualify as domestic,” DoT added.
