Indo-Pak cyber war claims 40-50 Indian sites daily

India and Pakistan, not the friendliest of neighbours, have fought three major wars and are now engaged in another in cyberspace. As per latest reports, hackers from across the border are working overtime to launch cyber attacks on Indian websites in their cross hair.

Though the Indian side is known for its prowess in IT and related fields, it is becoming apparent that a dearth of firepower has left the Indian cyberspace particularly vulnerable to Pakistani attacks.

Reports indicate that around 40-50 sites are being hacked by Pakistani hackers on a daily basis whereas around 10 Pakistani sites are being hit by their Indian counterparts. According to analysts, one of the reasons India has been forced on the backfoot in this cyberwar is the reactive attitude it has chosen to adopt instead of being a proactive player.

There are other factors as well and studies suggest how the laidback attitude of both corporate sector and the government on cyber security has impeded a positive approach.

Cyber security expert Ankit Fadia was quoted inthe media as saying that the need to counter such attacks usually sets in after an attack happens. He adds that though ethical hacking is the answer to such attacks and does come at a cost, it is not prohibitively expensive.

Ethical hackers are also known by such names as white hackers, white knights or sneakers. They are computer security experts who specialise in penetration testing and related testing methodologies to check vulnerability of a company's information systems.