Experts have recommended that telecom service providers (TSPs) take greater responsibility in strengthening customer verification processes and extending proactive support to investigative agencies to tackle cyber criminals, officials said on Wednesday.
The recommendations were made at the national conference on “Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Dismantling the Ecosystem,” organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the home ministry’s anti-cybercrime unit, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
Report to be submitted to ministry
The CBI and I4C will submit their report and recommendations to the ministry based on deliberations held during the two-day conference on cybercrime, which concluded on Wednesday.
AI and investigation capabilities discussed
The use of artificial intelligence to strengthen cybercrime investigations was also discussed during the conference, particularly in enhancing investigative capabilities.
Around 375 experts from various sectors, including law enforcement, banking and finance, cybersecurity, and telecom, participated in the discussions and presented their views on tackling cybercrime.
Call for coordinated national response
“Participants emphasised the need for a coordinated national response involving law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and technology intermediaries,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
Officials said experts also discussed the misuse of telecom infrastructure, including SIM and eSIM vulnerabilities, in cyber fraud cases.
Telecom sector’s role underlined
“The deliberations highlighted regulatory challenges and stressed the responsibility of telecom service providers (TSPs) in strengthening customer verification processes, preventing misuse, and extending proactive support to investigative agencies,” the statement said.
Participants further underscored the importance of faster data sharing, timely preservation of digital evidence, and stronger cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies, officials added.
Cybercrime shifts abroad
CBI Director Praveen Sood said on Tuesday that cybercrime hubs have shifted from Indian regions such as Jamtara, Mewat, and Bharatpur to Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Delivering the welcome address at the National Conference on “Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Dismantling the Ecosystem,” organised by the CBI and the Home Ministry’s anti-cybercrime unit I4C, Sood подчеркed that irrespective of where cybercriminals operate from, they cannot carry out such offences without access to SIM cards and bank accounts.
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