Pakistan-based terrorists, ISI using porn sites, encrypted platforms to contact ‘recruits’ in J&K
Terror groups are reportedly using niche encrypted applications to communicate secretly, an official said.
India's intelligence agencies have discovered a new method employed by terrorists to communicate with potential recruits in Jammu and Kashmir. This tactic involves utilizing chat tools found on porn websites and encrypted applications, an official revealed to the news agency PTI. These clandestine channels are being utilized by terrorists and Pakistan's Intelligence Service (ISI) to transmit information about recruitment activities.
Officials noted that terrorists have shifted away from widely-used social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Signal, instead opting for porn websites and apps. Despite being banned in India, these sites can be accessed through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The platforms offer real-time chat tools, which are exploited by terrorist handlers to disseminate messages and coordinate activities.
Security forces are closely examining various digital tools, including Tor-based messaging apps like Coatex and Conion, which route data through encrypted nodes to conceal user identities. Tor, or The Onion Router, is a free software network designed to enable anonymous communication and private web browsing. However, the use of Tor for illicit activities, particularly by terrorist groups, is on the rise.
Security experts have highlighted the challenges of tracking these anonymous platforms, as they bounce encrypted traffic through multiple relay nodes globally to obscure the data's origin and destination. The Tor network, maintained by the US-based non-profit The Tor Project for privacy and anti-censorship purposes, is increasingly being exploited by clandestine networks, including terrorist organizations.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
