Hyderabad|India|December'2008: The recent terrorist attacks on Indian commercial city Mumbai are any indication, the next biggest security threat could not be AK 47s, Bomb Blasts, Serial Bomb Blasts but Cyber Terrorism. Terrorists can attack their enemy without stepping out of their home or country. They need not come to our soil. Hence, Cyber Terrorism is more dangerous than any other form of terrorism, said Ankit Fadia whom the Mumbai police have contacted recently to trace emails of the Mumbai attackers which was sent through proxy servers in Saudi Arabia, Russia and finally traced to Pakistan.

Fadia is also a widely recognized computer security guru and Cyber terrorism expert. He has also led several investigations pertaining to national security and cyber terrorism. In November 2001, Fadia was consulted by a classified intelligence agency for breaking an encrypted message sent by one of Osama Bin Laden’s men.

Since then Fadia has been involved in numerous classified projects pertaining to cyber terrorism and crime. In August 2008, Fadia was consulted by the Navi Mumbai Police Department to trace the terror email sent just a few minutes before the Gujarat serial blasts.

Cyberterrorism may have been a thing only imaginable in the past, but today it seems a reality and a worrying possibility for the world at large. So many countries these days rely heavily on their computers and related technology to carry out daily activities. Imagine your computer being inaccessible for a week. Now imagine that your bank's computer is also down, as is your local new company's, and your place of work. You turn to the government for answers and all government machinery computers are down. Everything is down. How would you live? This sort of wide scale disturbance is possible with cyberterrorism, and now there is an example of just how disturbing cyberterrorism can be informed 22 years old Ankit Fadia, an internationally renowned Cyber Security expert addressing a press conference in city today afternoon.

He was in Hyderabad on three day visit visiting Engineering Colleges speaking seminars and creating awareness about Cyber Security.

One country heavily dependent on modern technology is Estonia, a country in Eastern Europe who recently implored NATO to take a position against cyberterrorism after accusing Russia of cyberterrorism against their country. For the third time in one week Estonia experienced attacks on their government, banking, and media websites. These attacks used a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack which flooded Estonian websites with false information shutting down a number of government (including military) and banking (Blomfield, 2007) sites rendering the country extremely vulnerable.

Estonia is a smally country, but, imagine if it India. The situation is unimaginable he said. India though is a super power as far as information technology is concerned, but our police and security agencies are ill equipped he lamented. Cyber cops of Cyber Cells of various state Police Departments are not aware of even basics of Cyber Security. Citing an example of a Delhi police, a constable said to have enquired where the Internet Building is located. Such is the pathetic situation of our security personnel. They need to gear up to the impending challenge. They need to take these warnings very seriously he added.

Unfortunately even the prestigious institutions like IIT, REC and others do not offer full time course in Cyber Security. It is offered either as part time or optional programe. Why Cyber Security subject is not taken seriously. Why do we not protect ourseleves and educate ourselves? he questioned. Even sometime ago NASSCOM estimated in the year 2003 that we are short of 40% computer security professionals. This number must have gone up by now. But, still date no adequate steps are not taken by the Government.

To create awareness I have been touring colleges across India. Be brand ambassadors for cyber security i tell students in these seminars he said. There is a need for more people to get trained in Cyber Security. With the vision of creating a more secure Internet, Fadia started a unique computer security training and certification course known as the Ankit Fadia Certified Ethical Hacker program. Today it has become Asia’s largest cyber security training and certification program with thousands trained across centers in 100+ cities in India and 40+ cities in China. To educate the average Internet user about the dangers of the Internet, Fadia also regularly writes Basic Security Tips which are displayed on OOH Media’s 4500 screens in offices, shopping outlets and entertainment areas in over 22 cities in India. Fadia is also a consultant to many universities in India, Singapore, China and USA on the design and structure of their computer security courses. For example, Fadia has partnered with IMT Ghaziabad to start India’s first government recognized postgraduate diploma course on Cyber Security.

I in association with Reliance Webworld have trained about 12000 people in Cyber Security across 100 cities in the last four years, he stated. He is also offering One Year Diploma Course in Cyber Security in Distance Education mode with IMT, Ghaziabad. And they have trained about 150 students in this program. He also informed that from April he is going to launch India's first English magazine on Cyber Security, Computer Hacking etc. This magazine will be in print, online as well as on mobile phones he informed.

Ankit Fadia has been regularly consulted by security agencies across the globe for breaking encrypted messages sent by unsocial elements. He is involved in numerous classified projects pertaining to International Security and Computer Networks. Some of the security agencies who consult him include Singapore Police, Inland Revenue Authority (Singapore), Inland Revenue Board (Malaysia), Ministry of Defense (Singapore), NISER (Malaysia), Ministry of National Development (Singapore), Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore), Monetary Authority of Singapore, Multimedia Super Corridor (Malaysia), Indian Police, Central Forensics Laboratory (Delhi), Kerala Police, Goa Police, Andhra Pradesh Police Department, Andhra Pradesh Forensics Laboratory (Delhi), Pune Police. 

Ankit is currently busy training CEO’s COO’s worldwide on Computer Security concerns and solutions.

He’s been nominated as "MTV Youth Icon 2008 Award". The award is a platform created expressly for the youth to identify their new-age role-models. The award celebrates the heroes of the young India. The past winners of the MTV Youth Icon awards include Anil Ambani Rahul Dravid, Shah Rukh Khan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Orkut.com etc. 

Ankit is an author of 14 publications which include The Unofficial Guide to Ethical Hacking, Network Security: A Hacker’s Perspective, "The Ethical Hacking Guide to Corporate Security", "Hacking Mobile Phones", "Email Hacking, Windows Hacking", "Google Hacking", "Intrusion Alert, Encryption", "Tips and Tricks on Linux", "Computer Forensics", "Software Hacking", "Little Genius: The Ankit Fadia Way" , "Cracking Admissions in Colleges Abroad". 

He was gifted a computer by his parents at the age of 10 years. By the age of 12, he developed interest in Computer Hacking. By fourteen years he published his first book titled The Unofficial Guide to Ethical Hacking which became an instant bestseller worldwide, sold 3 million copies and was translated into 11 languages. At the age of 16 years after the Sept. 11th attacks, cracked an encrypted email sent by the Al-Qaeda terrorist network for a classified intelligence agency.  

By 23 years he is widely recognized as an Ethical Hacker, Computer Security Expert and Cyber Terrorism guru. Written 14 bestselling books, delivered more than 1000 talks in 25 countries, received 45 awards, provides certification courses on Computer Security in India & China, is writing a script for a movie, runs his own consulting company and is a senior at Stanford University. His work has touched & influenced the cyber lives of millions of individuals and organizations worldwide.  

Widely traveled, Fadia has provided customized cyber security training and consulting solutions to clients all across Asia, Australia and North America including Google, Citibank, Shell, Volvo, Thai Airways, UOB Bank, PT Cisco Systems, Bank of Thailand, Bangkok Public Bank, Amari Hotels, BlueScope Steel, Jumeirah International, Wipro, Singapore Health Promotion Board, Infosys, Satyam, Schering Ltd and many other organizations in the government, police and corporate sectors. He has also conducted more than a 1000 different training sessions across 25 countries on various topics related to cyber security to an audience comprising of CEOs, CIOs, top level management, entrepreneurs, technical specialists, defense personnel and students.  

Widely celebrated in international media publications, Fadia is also regularly invited by BBC Radio World News, London to share the latest updates on virus outbreaks, loopholes and cyber crime trends. For his outstanding contributions in the field of computer security globally, Fadia has been honored with numerous awards namely: Indo-American Society Young Achiever Award 2005, IT Leader Award 2005, Person of The Year 2002, Limca Book of Records, Hall of Fame Award, Outstanding Young Achiever’s Award, Silicon India Person of the Week, Embassy State Award, Best Speaker Award (4 occasions) and many more.

Reachout's News Bureau
 December' 2008