Aum Gung Ganapathaye Namah

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa

Homage to The Blessed One, Accomplished and Fully Enlightened

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Cyber Laws

A Collection of Articles, Notes and References

References

(Revised:  Thursday, September 20, 2007)

References Edited by

An Indian Yogi

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

- William Shakespeare

Copyright © 2002-2010 An Indian Yogi

The following educational writings are STRICTLY for academic research purposes ONLY.

Should NOT be used for commercial, political or any other purposes.

(The following notes are subject to update and revision)

For free distribution only.
You may print copies of this work for free distribution.

You may re-format and redistribute this work for use on computers and computer networks, provided that you charge no fees for its distribution or use.
Otherwise, all rights reserved.

8 "... Freely you received, freely give”.

            - Matthew 10:8 :: New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,

7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”

            - 2 Timothy 3:1-9  :: New International Version (NIV)

 

6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

            - Hebrews 5:6 :: King James Version (KJV)

 

Therefore, I say:

Know your enemy and know yourself;

in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated.

When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself,

your chances of winning or losing are equal.

If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself,

you are sure to be defeated in every battle.

-- Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c. 500bc

 

There are two ends not to be served by a wanderer. What are these two? The pursuit of desires and of the pleasure which springs from desire, which is base, common, leading to rebirth, ignoble, and unprofitable; and the pursuit of pain and hardship, which is grievous, ignoble, and unprofitable.

- The Blessed One, Lord Buddha

 

Contents

Color Code

A Brief Word on Copyright

References

Educational Copy of Some of the References

 

Color Code

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Color Code                                                              Identification

 

Main Title                                                                  Color: Pink

Sub Title                                                                   Color: Rose

Minor Title                                                                Color: Gray – 50%

 

Collected Article Author                                       Color: Lime

Date of Article                                                         Color: Light Orange

Collected Article                                                     Color: Sea Green

Collected Sub-notes                                             Color: Indigo

 

Personal Notes                                                       Color: Black

Personal Comments                                             Color: Brown

Personal Sub-notes                                              Color: Blue - Gray

 

Collected Article Highlight                                   Color: Orange

Collected Article Highlight                                   Color: Lavender

Collected Article Highlight                                   Color: Aqua

Collected Article Highlight                                   Color: Pale Blue

 

Personal Notes Highlight                                     Color: Gold

Personal Notes Highlight                                     Color: Tan

 

HTML                                                                         Color: Blue

Vocabulary                                                              Color: Violet

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A Brief Word on Copyright

Many of the articles whose educational copies are given below are copyrighted by their respective authors as well as the respective publishers. Some contain messages of warning, as follows:

Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited

without the written consent of “so and so”.

According to the concept of “fair use” in US copyright Law,

The reproduction, redistribution and/or exploitation of any materials and/or content (data, text, images, marks or logos) for personal or commercial gain is not permitted. Provided the source is cited, personal, educational and non-commercial use (as defined by fair use in US copyright law) is permitted.

Moreover,

  • This is a religious educational website.
    • In the name of the Lord, with the invisible Lord as the witness.
  • No commercial/business/political use of the following material.
  • Just like student notes for research purposes, the writings of the other children of the Lord, are given as it is, with student highlights and coloring. Proper respects and due referencing are attributed to the relevant authors/publishers.

I believe that satisfies the conditions for copyright and non-plagiarism.

  • Also, from observation, any material published on the internet naturally gets read/copied even if conditions are maintained. If somebody is too strict with copyright and hold on to knowledge, then it is better not to publish “openly” onto the internet or put the article under “pay to refer” scheme.
  • I came across the articles “freely”. So I publish them freely with added student notes and review with due referencing to the parent link, without any personal monetary gain. My purpose is only to educate other children of the Lord on certain concepts, which I believe are beneficial for “Oneness”.

 

References

Some of the links may not be active (de-activated) due to various reasons, like removal of the concerned information from the source database. So an educational copy is also provided, along with the link.

If the link is active, do cross-check/validate/confirm the educational copy of the article provided along.

  1. If the link is not active, then try to procure a hard copy of the article, if possible, based on the reference citation provided, from a nearest library or where-ever, for cross-checking/validation/confirmation.

 

References

Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, January 08, 2003) Internet Publishers Caught in Legal Web. India.

http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/newsletter/issues/cl_nl_16.htm

Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, April 09, 2003) Legal Issues Raised Over Wiretapping Internet Calls. India.

http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/newsletter/issues/cl_nl_21.htm

Charan, Anubha. (Tuesday, September 25, 2001) Can Email Put You In Jail? India: Rediff.com India Limited.

http://www.rediff.com/search/2001/sep/25mail.htm

Gearan, Anne. (Thursday, December 04, 2003) Breyer: Judges struggle with tech cases. USA: Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/aptech_story.asp?category=1700&slug=Scotus%20Breyer

Lang, Thresa. (Wednesday, September 04, 2002) Is Every Crime Becoming a Cybercrime? USA: SC Infosec Opinionwire.

http://www.infosecnews.com/opinion/2002/09/04_04.htm

Meikle, Kate and Janz, Chris. (Tuesday, December 10, 2002) Ruling could close sites. Australia: News Limited.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5650115%5E2,00.html

Na. Vijayashankar. Justice delayed is Justice denied

Na. Vijayashankar. Lawyers wake up, the world around you has changed

Na. Vijayashankar. Will the police come knocking at your doors ?

Na. Vijayashankar. Laws that govern e-commerce in a global context

Nagpal, Shuchi. (Wednesday, April 02, 2003) Email: International Cyber Crime Seminar at Malaysia. Asian School of Cyber Laws.

Pelly, Michael. (Monday, December 08, 2003) Net threat to murder verdict. Australia: The Age.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/07/1070732070689.html

Preethi K. IT Bill '99: Launch pad for e-commerce

Trivedi, Aditi. (Saturday, November 08, 2003) Email: Spoofed / faked SMS messages. India: Asian School of Cyber Laws.

Cyber crime scene in India

http://www.rediff.com/search/2003/feb/18crime.htm

Inomy Media Private Limited, New Delhi

http://www.inomy.com/editor.asp

Memorandum from At-Large Organizing Committee to ICANN Board. (Monday, December 9, 2002)

http://www.icann.org/correspondence/aloc-to-board-09dec02.htm

 

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Educational Copy of Some of the References

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

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Reference

Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, January 08, 2003) Internet Publishers Caught in Legal Web. India.

http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/newsletter/issues/cl_nl_16.htm

 

Internet Publishers Caught in Legal Web

 

Joe Gutnick, a multimillionaire and Australian goldmining magnate (and rabbi), sued Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal and Barrons, for defamation. Barrons had carried an article alleging that Gutnick had been involved in money laundering and tax evasion.

 

Everyone agrees that Rabbi Gutnick deserves his day in court. The crucial question is, which court? Will it be the Supreme Court in Melbourne, where Australian defamation laws give him a reasonable chance of winning, or an American court, where free-speech legal traditions built around the First Amendment of the United States Constitution would make success unlikely?

 

The High Court of Australia unanimously decided last month that Rabbi Gutnick may sue in Victoria, Australia, rather than the US, since it is in Victoria that his reputation was harmed. For any Internet publisher, this is an alarming decision. The World Wide web is exactly that: interlocking connections that go everywhere from any place. There are perhaps 190 countries on the Internet, presenting a huge pattern of penalties for such crimes as libel, blasphemy against the state religion, or criticising the country's rulers.

 

The Australian decision would in principle require any publisher with worldwide interests to water down the content of websites to be in accord with 190 different legal systems. Anything that breaks local laws, could on this Australian reasoning, open the publisher to suits. If the publisher is a news organisation with local assets, such as an office building, these could be forfeit, even if a judgment were unenforceable in the publisher's home country.

 

One of the Australian judges, Justice Callinan has stated that publishers are not obliged to publish on the Internet. If the potential reach (of the publication) is uncontrollable then the greater the need to exercise care in publication.

 

He also expressed the view that Dow Jones was attempting to impose on Australians an American legal hegemony in relation to Internet publications.

 

But before Australians start cheering the victory of local defamation laws over hegemonic, alien notions of free speech, they ought to think hard about who the real losers from this decision will be. If the Gutnick decision stands, Dow Jones can follow either of two strategies: first, it can have its articles and opinion pieces dealing with Australian companies and businessmen vetted by Australian lawyers before publication in order to fit Australian defamation law. This would be awkward and very expensive.

 

Alternatively, Dow Jones can continue its practice of robust reporting of Australian business, but do its best to block Internet access into Australian jurisdictions, so it is not seen as intentionally publishing in Australia.

 

It would make much better sense for Dow Jones to follow this second path, offering information which is protected by the First Amendment in the US to its American readers, and to other readers around the globe where it is legal to do so.

 

But now, an Australian investor will face an unsettling, potentially disastrous situation. Suppose Dow Jones, which is after all the most important business and financial information source in the world, uncovers dirt about some Australian tycoon that would incline investors to dump shares in the tycoon's company. Dow Jones will send the information (via an email alert or a Wall Street Journal article) worldwide except to Australia, where the story might be actionable.

 

(Reference: Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, January 08, 2003) Internet Publishers Caught in Legal Web. India.)

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Reference

Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, April 09, 2003) Legal Issues Raised Over Wiretapping Internet Calls. India.

http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/newsletter/issues/cl_nl_21.htm

 

Legal Issues Raised Over Wiretapping Internet Calls

 

The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) transfers communications over the Internet rather than through the PSTN (public switched telephone network).

 

The Federal Burerau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking regulatory action that includes VoIP communications so as to facilitate surveillance associated with criminal activities and terrorism. Technology to transfer voice communications via the Internet was not addressed by the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 in USA.

 

Privacy advocates are monitoring this issue as broadband phone companies such as Vonage and Net2Phones have indicated their intention to cooperate with the government in surveillance efforts.

 

(Reference: Asian School of Cyber Laws. (Wednesday, April 09, 2003) Legal Issues Raised Over Wiretapping Internet Calls. India.)

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Reference

Charan, Anubha. (Tuesday, September 25, 2001) Can Email Put You In Jail? India: Rediff.com India Limited.

http://www.rediff.com/search/2001/sep/25mail.htm

 

Recent changes in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and the introduction of the Information Technology Act, 2000 have made email admissible as evidence in a court of law. Even informal or hastily expressed messages might well create a formal contract or agreement, leading to a situation where even the most innocuous of emails may mean big trouble for a firm.

The most common disclaimer is the one warning readers that the email is confidential, and "if you have received it in error, please delete it from your system, do not use or disclose the information in any way, and please notify me immediately." In doing so, companies hope to protect themselves against being sued for breach of privacy or confidentiality from emails that go astray, placing the responsibility on the receiver.

 

The question is, will these disclaimers actually hold up in court?

 

Most advocates feel that a disclaimer can only create a false sense of security, and have only dubious legal value. The most it can hope to achieve is notify recipients that the contents are confidential; it cannot impose any obligation on them to act in a certain way. Courts usually attach more weight to the substantive content of the communication and circumstances in which it is made than to the disclaimer. It is also argued that as email can be easily encrypted, or digitally signed, using a disclaimer is meaningless because "due care" has obviously not been taken.

Advocate Anand Gupta says he would advise clients to add a disclaimer only when it really matters: "Otherwise, all you are doing is telling people that your disclaimers are to be ignored at all times. You can seldom hurt yourself by including some kind of disclaimer, but you have to be careful not to depend on them to solve all your legal problems."

 

Thus, a disclaimer may not be able to completely absolve you of liability in a court of law if you were unlucky enough to be sued for the contents of an email. Used cautiously, however, it may add some weight to the warning it conveys, and can provide a useful argument in your defence.

 

If nothing else, by its mere presence, it may well prevent someone from dragging you to the court in the first place!

 

(Reference: Charan, Anubha. (Tuesday, September 25, 2001) Can Email Put You In Jail? India: Rediff.com India Limited.)

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Reference

Gearan, Anne. (Thursday, December 04, 2003) Breyer: Judges struggle with tech cases. USA: Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/aptech_story.asp?category=1700&slug=Scotus%20Breyer

 

Thursday, December 4, 2003 · Last updated 11:29 p.m. PT

 

Breyer: Judges struggle with tech cases

 

By ANNE GEARAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

 

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Coourt is rightly made up of nine generalists, but tackling arcane subjects can tax judges without specialties or expertise in scientific or technical fields, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said Thursday.

 

Judges should not throw up their hands when confronted with highly technical subjects, such as government regulation of telecommunications or information technology, Breyer said. But neither should they develop narrow specialties.

 

"Review by generalist judges brings a certain lay common sense to technical decisions and a necessary degree of coherence to the law," Breyer told an audience at the American Enterprise Institute, an economic think tank.

 

Lower courts might make wider use of independent experts to help sort out complex cases, but the Supreme Court should not do so, Breyer said.

 

"We each participate fully in each judicial decision. We believe we are appointed to exercise our own judgment, and each of us takes full responsibility for his or her decision in each case," Breyer said.

 

He added that outside experts who might be hired by lower courts would undoubtedly make some mistakes and should not be considered infallible.

 

Breyer cited several examples from among cases the court has recently decided that involved complicated government regulation. Often, Breyer said, it is difficult to convince his colleagues that a detailed economic analysis will help the court reach a decision.

 

"But it's a little better than the status quo which too often is what I call 'flying blind,'" he said.

 

Breyer urged further study by the American Bar Association and scientific and professional organizations.

(Reference: Gearan, Anne. (Thursday, December 04, 2003) Breyer: Judges struggle with tech cases. USA: Seattle Post-Intelligencer.)

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Reference

Lang, Thresa. (Wednesday, September 04, 2002) Is Every Crime Becoming a Cybercrime? USA: SC Infosec Opinionwire.

http://www.infosecnews.com/opinion/2002/09/04_04.htm

 

Wednesday, September 4th, 2002

 

Is Every Crime Becoming a Cybercrime?

by Thresa Lang

 

At first glance, it seems obvious that crime extends well beyond the boundaries of technology and computers. However, a closer analysis illuminates some related issues. These include questions concerning what cybercrimes consist of, how serious a threat they are to organizations, and who can handle an incident without causing even more complications.

 

Advances in technology have allowed criminals to create whole new categories of offenses such as cracking and performing unlawful network intrusions. Also, the use of technology to facilitate more ‘traditional’ crimes, such as fraud, is becoming more common due to the relative ease with which a moderately proficient criminal can remain anonymous while perpetrating a ‘cybercrime.’ This approach is subtle, and a basic understanding of computer crime is necessary in order to plan sufficient protection for your personal or organizational assets.

 

Although specific offenses may vary widely between jurisdictions, here cybercrime is broken into three general and frequently overlapping categories:

 

1. A computer can be the target.

2. A computer can be used as the means of a crime.

3. A computer holds the evidence of a crime.

 

The first category will include offenses such as theft of intellectual property and sensitive or proprietary information. This is generally considered to be information that has potential monetary value to the company. However, there may be another complication. According to the U.S. Uniform Trade Secrets Act, if a company has not taken formal steps adequate to ensure the safety of this information, then it probably wouldn’t be considered a trade secret in court. This begs the question; if a cracker can get the information, was it really a trade secret?

 

This category also includes corporate espionage, and the violation of privacy (concerning anything from financial records to family medical history, which has become more complicated in the United States with the new regulations that are contained within the HIPAA). This type of activity may or may not leave lasting damage to the computer and/or data.

 

The second type includes credit card fraud, stalking, extortion, forgery, ATM fraud, identity theft and telecommunications fraud. Other crimes in this category actually require the existence of technology in order for a crime to occur at all. This area includes software piracy, hardware and software theft, copyright, patent and trademark violations of Internet material (here think Amazon.com vs. BarnesAndNoble.com as well as Napster), web site defacement, the spreading of computer viruses and worms, and denial-of-service attacks.

 

In the final category, the crime may not directly require the use of the computer, but is ancillary to it. Examples for this category may include anything on storage media that may relate to a crime or be used as evidence. Information concerning drug selling, malfeasance, bookmaking and money laundering usually falls in this category.

 

The categories above show that cybercrime has already encompassed most of the traditional areas of crime, and the continued growth of computer use in all areas of life lends support to the idea that at some point, category number three will contain a majority of those remaining.

 

In 2000 the International Data Corporation (IDG) reported that the U.S. Secret Service had started to seriously expand its electronic crimes special agent program in order to be prepared for what they called “the crime of the future.” The statistics provide support for this action. The 2002 FBI/CSI Computer Crime and Security Survey results emphasize just how seriously cybercrime has affected business. This survey shows an increase in incidents coupled with a decrease in reporting those incidents to law enforcement. This may indicate a significant increase in the number of organizations that are handling incidents internally and may be developing their own digital forensic capabilities.

 

In both January and March of this year IDG reported increases in firms that are either sending employees to get trained in forensic techniques or calling in experts to perform investigations for them. These are excellent options in that it is vital to have fully trained forensic examiners handle any incident. However, those companies that are neither turning to law enforcement nor their own trained internal personnel to take care of incidents should proceed carefully when ‘outsourcing’ this type of activity. It is vital that they have a full understanding of the local regulations relevant to performance of an investigation.

 

For example, in Virginia, USA, some of the actions that may be required for a non-law enforcement or non-government individual to perform a forensic investigation (with the intention of obtaining information concerning injuries to persons or property, that will be submitted to a court, officer or investigative committee) require that the person conducting the investigation must be registered as a private investigator and be employed by a licensed private security services business (VAC Title 9.1-138). In other words, they can’t be a friend who has a day job as a network administrator somewhere else. Violation of this code is punishable as a class 1 misdemeanor (VAC Title 9.1-149). Thus, trying to investigate a cybercrime without the properly trained and licensed personnel may also become a crime.

 

This example illustrates how our attempts to consider age-old concepts of crime and consequences within a new context require that we also recognize the changes that must occur in that context as a result. Although there have been great strides made in ‘cyberlegislation,’ many of the laws currently being applied to cybercrime were created for ‘traditional’ crime and fit poorly within the context of technology-enabled crime.

 

It is in this new context, where power is measured by the control of information, that the question of whether all crimes are becoming cybercrimes is finally answered. Crime, by its very nature is an action intended to gain power, either by destruction or acquisition of something that belongs to someone else. If power is in information, and information lives in cyberspace, then to some degree, all crimes truly are becoming cybercrimes.

 

Thresa Lang ([email protected]) is a security and training consultant, who also teaches information systems protection at the George Washington University. She is a Cisco certified network associate (CCNA), a systems analyst and a CISSP instructor.

 

Copyright © West Coast Publishing.

All rights reserved.

(Reference: Lang, Thresa. (Wednesday, September 04, 2002) Is Every Crime Becoming a Cybercrime? USA: SC Infosec Opinionwire.)

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Reference

Meikle, Kate and Janz, Chris. (Tuesday, December 10, 2002) Ruling could close sites. Australia: News Limited.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5650115%5E2,00.html

 

Ruling could close sites

By Kate Meikle and Chris Janz

December 10, 2002

 

A HIGH Court decision allowing a US online publisher to be sued under Australian law could force the closure of some websites, an industry expert said today.

 

Photo

The judgment has implications for internet publishing worldwide / AAP

 

Internet Industry Association (IIA) chief executive Peter Coroneos told NEWS.com.au the decision could be "another straw in the camel's saddle-bag" for online publishers that were already struggling to survive.

 

"There's always a cost-benefit analysis," Mr Coroneos said.

 

"Online publishers will be looking at their revenues and looking at the potential of a lawsuit or potential legal action and they have to be arriving at a decision where they basically ask themselves whether it's worth continuing."

 

The High Court this morning ruled mining businessman Joseph Gutnick could sue business news publisher Dow Jones for defamation in a Victorian court.

 

The action related to material published on the Barron's Online section of The Wall Street Journal website. Dow Jones argued the case could not be heard here because the article was published in the United States, where its servers and editorial offices are located.

 

The landmark judgment means material on the internet is deemed to have been published in the place it is viewed, not the country of origin.

 

American publishers fear litigants will take advantage of favourable overseas laws and launch defamation cases outside the United States. In the US, publishers are afforded freedom-of-speech protection under the First Amendment.

 

Mr Coroneos said Australian publishers were likely to be least affected by the decision because they already faced tough local defamation laws. But he said there was the potential for overseas celebrities to sue overseas companies on Australian soil.

 

"The people with rights here are people with reputations they want to protect," he said.

 

"The person wouldn't necessarily need to be a citizen in this country. The person could sue on something said about them in the US (and published on the web)."

 

"(The decision) might just be enough for some publishers to say enough's enough."

 

Mr Coroneos said the parties who joined the High Court action - including The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, Reuters, Yahoo and Amazon - indicated how seriously media players were taking the decision.

 

"They wouldn't have thought about it if they didn't feel some potential exposure from an adverse decision," he said.

 

The IIA now plans to lobby the federal Government to make laws offering less risk to online publishers.

 

"We have to...provide greater certainty to online publishers so that they can remain online publishers and not decide to basically close down their operations or significantly curtail the kind of content they’re prepared to put on the internet," Mr Coroneos said.

 

Mr Gutnick said he was "delighted" with the ruling because it would "re-establish that the net is no different than the regular newspaper".

 

"You have to be careful what you write and if you offend somebody or write malicious statements about people like what was done in my case you can be subject to being prosecuted."

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Reference

Na. Vijayashankar. Justice delayed is Justice denied

 

Justice delayed is Justice denied

By Na. Vijayashankar

 

In drafting the IT Bill-99, Government had two important challenges. Firstly, correct interpretation of the provisions in the Bill would require a clear understanding of several technological aspects of digital communication by the community. Secondly, Internet, being a medium that moves very fast, had to be protected from the known delays that plague the judicial process in India. If not, cases which often take 10 years to settle in the normal courts would appear to take nearly 40 "Internet years" in the digital world. Justice at this pace would obviously be no justice at all.

 

It is in this context, that we need to appreciate that while drafting the IT Bill-99, an attempt has also been made to provide a faster means by which computer crimes can be resolved. In the Bill, the requirements of the digital world are sought to be addressed at the following three levels.

 

  • Policy level
  • Infrastructure level
  • Dispute Resolution level

 

Policy Level

As soon as the IT Bill-99 becomes an Act, it is proposed that the government would set up an apex advisory body called the "Cyber Regulations Advisory Board". This board would consist of a Chairperson and required number of other official and non-official members representing the interests principally affected or having special knowledge of the subject matter.

 

This board would guide the government and its functionaries in all aspects of the implementation of the Cyber Laws including framing of rules under the IT Bill. Without any doubt, this Board will be solely responsible for all the good or the bad that can happen to the society as a result of this Bill. If eminent and appropriate people adorn the board, it may result in a well formed set of rules which will enable the laws to be implemented in a manner that would assist in the development of a "Responsible Cyber Society". If not , it would result in yet another piece of legislation through which the society would be harassed by criminals as well as their direct and indirect associates.

 

Infrastructure Level

At the infrastructural level, after the passage of the Bill, Government will appoint a " Controller" and the required number of "Deputy and Assistant Controllers", to set up and monitor the "Digital Certification System". The controller will prescribe the rules for licensing "Certification Authorities" who would issue digital certificates. He will issue licenses, renew, suspend or revoke them as required. He will also act as the repository of all Digital Certificates issued under the act. The Controller would be guided initially by the Cyber Regulations Advisory Board. He would however be the apex implementation authority for the Certification system. Considering the responsibilities thrust on Digital Certification authorities which the controller would appoint and regulate, he should not only be an administrator with impeccable integrity but also be technologically very well equipped.

 

Dispute Resolution Level

At the dispute resolution level, the IT Bill-99 envisages that one or more "Adjudicating Officer/s" would be appointed to receive complaints falling under the list of Cyber Crimes provided in the Bill. He would conduct an enquiry as per the procedure to be prescribed for the purpose and shall have the powers of a civil court.

 

Simultaneously, Government would also appoint a one man " Cyber Regulations Appelate Tribunal", which would hear appeals arising out of the orders of the Adjudicating officer. If the dispute remains unresolved at the level of the appelate tribunal, further appeals can be preferred at a high court.

 

Thus, the Bill envisages setting up of two special offices below the high court and outside the current judicial system to handle the Cyber Disputes falling under the Act. Since these officers will not be bound by the procedures of the Civil Court, they may develop systems that may help in a speedy disposal of justice.

 

We have to wait and see whether the full potential of the provisions mentioned in the IT Bill be harnessed by the government. The immediate concern for all of us in this regard is the proper constitution of the Cyber Regulations Advisory Committee.

 

Probably, all concerned Netizens should convey their views to the Ministry of Information and Technology, as to who should be appointed to the board, what should be the weightage of official and non official members or judicial and non judicial members etc., so that right persons get appointed.

 

Indian Judicial system is notorious for the delays that defeat the very purpose for which an aggrieved person approaches a court. It is not without reason that there is a proverb in Kannada that in a Court battle, "To win is to lose and to lose is to die!". Let’s hope that this would not be true of the Cyber Regulations in India.

Courtesy : http://www.ciol.com/

(Reference: Na. Vijayashankar. Justice delayed is Justice denied.)

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Reference

Na. Vijayashankar. Lawyers wake up, the world around you has changed

 

Lawyers wake up, the world around you has changed

By Na. Vijayashankar

 

Lawyers all over India are up in arms against the central government for having brought in changes in the Civil Procedure Code that are expected to speed up the judicial process. But, are they awake to the changes that the IT Bill-99 will bring to their business?

 

Many lawyers think that IT Bill is only for e-commerce companies and those lawyers who are earning their livelihood by handling property cases, matrimonial cases or normal business cases can afford to ignore the Bill. The technology intensive provisions perhaps hinder them from evincing the normal curiosity that should follow the introduction of any new law. Herein lies the danger of ignoring what they cannot afford to ignore.

 

IT Bill –99, however, is more than just another new law. It will bring fundamental changes in commercial law and any legal case whether pertaining to IT field or not would be affected by the Bill.

 

For example, along with the passage of the IT Bill, the Indian Evidence Act is being simultaneously modified to include "Electronic Documents" as acceptable modes by which evidence can be tendered in a court of law. This means that copies of an "e-mail," a "text file," a "Web page," an "Audio clipping" or a "Video clipping" can be produced by one of the lawyers either to prove his client’s view point or to disprove his opponent’s view point. In authenticating any such document, "Digital Signature Certificates" may be produced or an independent person may be asked to apply a "Public Key" to verify whether a document can be ascribed to a given person and prove or disprove whether any changes were made to the document without his approval.

 

In the above process, the certifying authority may have to be cross examined on the authentication process adopted by them, the efficacy of the cryptographic modules or hash algorithms used by them. The network managers may also be examined as witnesses to certify whether the document in question was in fact derived from the "computer" alleged to have been used and whether it has not been modified subsequent to its creation. He may also be asked to certify the time and place at which a document was generated which may be critical in even determining the jurisdiction of the court.

 

Looking at practical examples, one of the parties in a divorce case may produce copies of e-mail exchanged between his/her spouse and a virtual lover to claim a divorce. The case may, therefore, come to depend on the ability of the judge to determine whether the e-mail is genuine or not. Similarly a "Stop Payment Instruction" or a "Modification of Contract" sent over an e-mail may be frequently introduced in any civil or criminal courts as key pieces of evidence.

 

If justice needs to be upheld in cases where electronic documents are involved, the legal community must be fully conversant with "Electronic Documents", Digital Signatures", "Responsibility of the holder of a Private Key", "The security of Asymmetric Cryptographic systems", the "Server log Maintenance system", "Authority for Web content management", "Process of content creation and posting on a Web site" etc.

 

Ignorance of Cyber Laws would, therefore, seriously undermine the ability of a lawyer to represent his client and jeopardize his continuance in business. More importantly, a Cyber savvy lawyer would command a premium for his services and has a prosperous future ahead of him.

 

Therefore, if you are an advocate, it is time you get aboard the "Cyber law bandwagon."

 

courtesy : http://www.ciol.com/

(Reference: Na. Vijayashankar. Lawyers wake up, the world around you has changed.)

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Reference

Na. Vijayashankar. Will the police come knocking at your doors ?

 

Will the police come knocking at your doors ?

By Na. Vijayashankar

 

After the IT Bill-99 was presented in the Parliament, there was one section of observers who had raised a hue and cry about the powers given to the Police authorities in the Bill. There has been an attempt to create a fear amongst the public that some of the provisions in the Bill are "Draconian". To understand these fears let us look at some of the relevant provisions of the Bill.

 

According to section 77 of the draft bill, any offence under the Bill can be investigated only by a police officer not below the rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

 

According to section 79 of the Bill, such an officer (or any other officer of the central government or a State government authorised by the Central government) "may enter any public place and search and arrest without warrant any person found therein who is reasonably suspected of having committed or of committing or of being about to commit any offence under the act". Where any person is arrested under this section other than by the police officer, such a person has to be produced before a magistrate or a police officer in charge of a police station without unnecessary delay.

 

As one can make out this provision is to control misuse of public Internet access systems in a Cyber Café, Hotel or such other places where the public have an access. It must be noted that the section doesn’t apply to home or offices. It appears, therefore, that the provision is only meant to take quick remedial action when an offence is being committed or about to be committed as well as cases where such places are being habitually used for committing offences.

 

It appears that the lawmakers have taken into consideration that an offence committed over Internet can be traced to the computer, which was used for the purpose. Any offence committed may, therefore, be pinned on the owner of the system used. In a public place, however, this tracking of the crime to a person may not be possible. It would, therefore, be necessary for law enforcing authorities to take swift action to prevent crimes at the earliest and bring the culprits to book.

 

While there is a possibility that innocent persons may some time be suspected of crimes not committed by them, it is not correct to presume that the provision will be misused by Police to book any Cyber Café user irresponsibly. There is little reason to accuse the lawmakers of having placed "draconian" powers with police officers.

 

The owners of public Internet access systems should, however, take notice of the provisions and realize that they would be answerable for any offence committed in their premises. In order to safe guard their interests they should, therefore, take at least the following two precautions.

 

1.Put up a notice in the premises at a prominent place listing the actions that are punishable under the Cyber Law, such as Hacking, Transmission of Obscene materials, Misusing credit cards, etc., for the information of the users.

 

2. Keep a reliable log book for each of the computers assigned to the visitors from which the user can be reasonably traced.

 

Even though the home and office users of Internet may seem relieved that the Police have not been given powers to enter their premises without warrants, it is the duty of every system owner and more so the professional system administrator of a corporate network to take reasonable steps to prevent the use of their property for committing crimes. The most obvious thing to do is to keep track of the users of the system. Just as you would not lend your car to be used by your friend to smuggle drugs, you should take care not to lend your computer resources to any body who may misuse it.

 

What is more important in the coming days of 24X7 connectivity through Cable is that the children at home may be accessing the Internet and the email facility of their parents. This is a potential source for trouble since the young brilliant mind is often the breeding ground for computer crimes. Parents should, therefore, take suitable steps to educate their wards and not allow them any opportunity to experiment with dangerous misadventures on the Internet, howsoever exciting they may be.

courtesy : http://www.ciol.com/

(Reference: Na. Vijayashankar. Will the police come knocking at your doors ?)

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Reference

Na. Vijayashankar. Laws that govern e-commerce in a global context

 

Cyber Laws - Introduction

 

Laws that govern e-commerce in a global context

 

The principles of Private International Law will determine as to the laws which will be applicable to e-commerce transactions in a global context. The principles of Private International Law lay down guidelines which provide answers to certain questions such as which Court will have jurisdiction and which law will be applicable to determine the rights of the parties to the contract. Once these questions are answered, then the next step would be to actually apply the appropriate law to the contract and determine the rights of the parties to the contract

 

The Indian Contract, Sale of Goods Act, The Negotiable Instruments Act and several other enactments (depending on the nature of the contract) including  the recently enacted  Information and Technology Act would govern e-commerce in India.

 

Example :- 

For instance, if an order is placed by a person from India on another person in U.K. , then on any dispute arising between the parties to the e-commerce transaction, the Courts are required to apply the aforesaid principles and determine as to whether any action can be brought in the Courts of  U.K. or in India. Once the question of jurisdiction and appropriate law is decided then the next step would be for the U.K. or the Indian Court to apply the local laws and determine the rights of the parties to the contract. However, the parties can enter into a contract which will expressly state that all disputes pertaining to the e-commerce transaction will be resolved as per the laws of U.K. or India and that the courts of U.K. or India will have exclusive jurisdiction. Once the parties agree to confer jurisdiction on a particular Court, then the question of applying the principles of Private International Law with reference to jurisdiction and appropriate law will not arise and the Court can proceed to determine the rights of the parties to the contract.

 

Applicability of existing laws Internet including e-commerce transactions

 

To a large extent the existing laws apply to activities conducted on the Internet. If any slanderous or defamatory statements are published on a website, then the website as well as the person making such slanderous or defamatory statements can be prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code for defamation.

If any website infringes the trademark or copyright of any person or any person registers a domain name similar to the trade name of another person, then the provisions of the TradeMarks and Copyright Act would apply to such infringement and the affected person can seek such reliefs as set out under the statute.

courtesy : http://www.cyberkanoon.com/

(Reference: Na. Vijayashankar. Laws that govern e-commerce in a global context.)

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Reference

Na. Vijayashankar. Why we need Cyber Laws

 

Why we need Cyber Laws

 

India being a technologically advanced country, should have had the Cyber Laws framed much earlier, but it is sad to say that things are not done at the required pace in our country. The Indian legal system today, does not recognize electronic records or documents at par with written documents. Consequently, these would not be accepted as evidence in the court of law. When records are on papers, it can be authenticated, but when records are in electronic form, issues like evidence of transactions, enforceability and authenticity of these transactions arise. Now that all software companies in India are moving towards e-commerce, there is need for a new law to cover the new form of records, transactions, signatures, storage, carriage and the disputes that can arise. Of course, the security of something, which we cannot see, is intangible and can be faked, does cause serious concern.

 

The security of electronic records and signatures is of great concern to the people as there are crackers and hackers, who can tamper with the records, signatures, destroy or distort them. If this is not checked then the e-commerce segment will perish in its infancy itself. No buyer would be prepared to use his credit card for purchases on the Internet if he fears that the card data can be stolen and misused. For instance, in a study conducted by Ernst & Young, 97 per cent of the consumers participating in the study, did not purchase anything on-line and said that the main reason was fear about disclosing their credit card information. Although financial organizations, banks, ISPs and e-commerce service providers are ensuring a secure system, users will make use of these services comfortably only when Cyber Laws are in place. Even in the case of Internet-based stock trading that recently commenced in India, the promoters' believe that if cyber laws are implemented, the system would further be strengthened.

 

The absence of cyber laws is actually being felt in the Indian IT industry and it has also left a negative impact on the industry. India is said to have not signed a MoU digitally with Ireland because of the absence of Cyber Laws and sometime back Nasscom president Dewang Mehta had also pointed out that e-commerce transactions had not gained importance in India due to lack of cyber laws. According to a Nasscom study, e-commerce transactions in the country would grow phenomenally to Rs 2,500 crore in 2000-01 and to Rs 10,000 crore in 2001-02 after the Cyber Laws Bill is passed. The growth of e-commerce transactions would have been even greater if the laws were passed earlier.

 

Once this Bill is passed, electronic documents, i.e., whatever is recorded in computer memories as well as electronic signatures will be legal and will have to be accepted by all offices equipped for the purpose. The Bill proposes creation of a one-man Cyber Regulation Appellate Tribunal where the computer criminals could appeal. Computer criminals who conceal, destroy or distort any computer source document for a programme, system or source-code can be fined upto Rs 2 lakh and imprisoned up to three years. Those who electronically publish or circulate information, which is disagreeable can be fined upto Rs 25,000 and also imprisoned for two years. Persons unauthorized or persons illegally disclosing the contents of electronic records can be fined up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisoned for two years. The Bill has provisions concerning electronic fraud and crimes are defined and punishment for such crimes is prescribed for the offenders. Besides, they will have to pay compensation to the aggrieved to an extent of Rs 10 lakh. The criminals can also be sent to jail.

 

Once this is clearly defined, the Internet users can use the Net for any kind of transaction without any apprehensions. With the passing of the IT Bill, both service providers and the users will be content. Cyber Laws will not be just in favor of Internet users or service providers, but also for lawyers who will fight cyber cases. These lawyers can earn a good livelihood, command a prosperous future and also be a part of the e-commerce cynosure. The dream of India being an IT super power on which the future of the Indian IT industry and IT professionals depend, now rests on the availability of the legal support system for e-commerce. Without Cyber Law there will be no e-commerce and with Cyber Laws the Internet or e-commerce use will increase manifold.

(Reference: Na. Vijayashankar. Why we need Cyber Laws.)

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Reference

Nagpal, Shuchi. (Wednesday, April 02, 2003) Email: International Cyber Crime Seminar at Malaysia. India: Asian School of Cyber Laws.

 

From: "Asian School" [email protected]  

To: [email protected]

Cc:

Subject: International Cyber Crime Seminar at Malaysia

Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 19:41:38 +0530

 

An International Seminar on Cyber Crimes, Cyber Investigation and Cyber Laws was conducted in Malaysia by Asian School Cyber Laws (ASCL) recently.

 

Datuk S. Subramaniam, Deputy Minister, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Malaysia inaugurated the seminar.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Subramaniam referred to the recent Computer Crime and Abuse Report (India) 2001-02, published by the Computer Emergency Response Team of Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL-CERT) and said that the findings and recommendations of the report were equally applicable to Malaysia.

 

ASCL President Rohas Nagpal and faculty member Abhinav Bhatt conducted the seminar. Topics covered included:-

 

1. Computer crime,

2. Cyber crime investigation,

3. Cyber forensics,

4. International cyber laws and

5. public key infrastructure.

 

Professor John White, Dean of Anglia Law School, Cambridge, UK, moderated the seminar.

 

The seminar was attended by professionals from Government departments (including law enforcement, customs, immigration), insurance and banking sectors, Universities and educational institutions.

 

Asian School of Cyber Laws is the pioneering institute in the field of education, training and consultancy in cyber law, cyber crime investigation and information security. In these fields ASCL works with several Universities and Colleges, Government departments, law enforcement

agencies, defence organizations and corporates.

 

Regards,

Shuchi Nagpal,

Information Department,

Asian School of Cyber Laws

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Reference

Pelly, Michael. (Monday, December 08, 2003) Net threat to murder verdict. Australia: The Age.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/07/1070732070689.html

 

Net threat to murder verdict

By Michael Pelly

December 8, 2003

 

The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal is considering whether a murder verdict should stand after jury members ignored a judge's orders during a trial and found incriminating information about the accused on the internet.

 

After at least seven of the 12 jurors admitted knowing the man had faced an earlier murder charge, Justice John Dunford said: "There may be a real suspicion that they may have been influenced."

 

Queensland has a law specifically forbidding jurors inquiring about a defendant.

 

In May 2000, former Victorian Supreme Court judge George Hampel aborted a murder retrial because he feared it would be prejudiced by information on an internet site.

 

The site, a list of convicted criminals, moved its servers offshore when threatened with legal action in Melbourne.

 

Ten days ago, NSW Chief Justice Jim Spigelman warned that developments in internet technology "pose new challenges to the ability to ensure a fair trial".

 

At a conference on internet law he noted that the Queensland law specifically included searching an electronic database.

 

While it was too early to say communications technology would render the sub judice rule unworkable, he said, sophisticated internet search engines such as Google made information much easier to retrieve.

 

At the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal hearing last Friday, the man, known as K, has faced two separate charges of murder. At his first trial he was jailed for 24 years, but his conviction was quashed on appeal and a retrial ordered because the judge misdirected the jury on DNA evidence.

 

When he faced the second murder charge, he was found guilty and sentenced to 22 years.

 

After discovering that jurors in that case had learned about the previous trial, his legal team challenged the decision and affidavits were obtained from the jurors for the appeal.

 

Murugan Thangaraj, for K, said the jury would have been discharged if the judge had known that members had defied his order to only consider evidence before the court.

 

"A few weeks into the trial, there is a discussion about the internet," he said.

 

He said the information was "capable of unconsciously affecting their deliberations" and that some may have believed K had a tendency to that type of crime.

 

NSW Solicitor-General Michael Sexton said the verdict should stand because the Crown case was overwhelming.

 

But Justice Dunford said the affidavits showed two jurors knew K had received a long jail term at his first trial.

 

He said jurors one, four, five and six had accessed information about the trial and knew there was an error in the summing up that led to a new trial. Jurors three, seven and eight knew he had been accused and jailed. One had even gone to the alleged crime scene and made comments that K was a double murderer.

 

Justice Wood described as "very sensible" the section of the Queensland Jury Act, which forbids jurors making inquiries about the accused.

 

The court reserved its verdict, but Justice Dunford hinted at one effect of the case: "Jurors are going to be told not to look at the internet."

 

(Reference: Pelly, Michael. (Monday, December 08, 2003) Net threat to murder verdict. Australia: The Age.)

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Reference

Preethi K. IT Bill '99: Launch pad for e-commerce

 

IT Bill '99: Launch pad for e-commerce

 

By Preethi K

 

The much talked about IT Bill ’99, which accords legal recognition to electronic commerce transactions and prescribes stringent punishment for cyber crimes, has finally been cleared by both the houses of Parliament after several iterations despite protests from the opposition. And, much to the delight of the e-commerce industry, the government dropped two controversial clauses, recommended by the standing committee, related to monitoring of cyber cafe visitors and registration of portals.

If the IT Bill, popularly known as Cyber Laws, had not been passed now, the country would have been a major loser. The absence of cyber laws had almost managed to stunt the growth of e-commerce in India. According to a Nasscom study, e-commerce transactions in the country would grow by 500 per cent from Rs 450 crore to Rs 2,500 crore in 2000-01 and to Rs 10,000 crore in 2001-02, thanks to the passing of the Cyber Laws.

 

Before being placed in Parliament, the Bill was drafted and redrafted no less than 155 times! The government also incorporated 34 of the 36 recommendations made by the standing committee of the Parliament. There will also be a legal framework for the authentication and origin of electronic records/communications through digital signature. With this legal framework in place, India will now be able to sign MoUs digitally with other countries without any hesitation, something that could not be done previously, like the accord with Ireland. The Indian legal system will now recognize electronic records or documents to be on par with written documents and these would be accepted as evidence in the court of law. This law covers not only the digital form of records, but also of transactions, signatures, storage and carriage, and the disputes that can arise thereof. People will now be able to transact on the Web without fear of his/her credit card data being stolen and misused. Especially, with the recent hacking of major sites and virus attacks, everyone was looking forward to a legal system that would make them feel secure.

 

Now that the Cyber Laws are in place, we will soon have a special task force within the police to deal with cyber crimes, as per the recommendations of the standing committee. This team of police personnel would be made computer literate, so that they can deal with knowledge-based crimes. It is quite absurd to accept one of the clauses that gives authority for an officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police and above to raid, search and arrest without warrant for suspected crimes. This would also mean that the police would be given full authority to frisk a suspect, which may result in the harassment of innocent people. Although the information technology minister Pramod Mahajan has justified this by saying that its deletion would allow Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) provisions (where even a police constable is authorized to carry out these functions) to come into effect. While the Indian Penal Code and the CrPC gave powers to constables to arrest without warrant, the minister said that the IT Bill vests such powers only with police officers of the rank of deputy superintendent of police, limiting it to one per cent of the police force. However, many agree that the government should have made warrants compulsory if the police wished to search or arrest a suspect.

 

It is clear that the tabling of the IT Bill ’99 was an eagerly awaited affair. Leaders of our nation are planning to take the benefits of the IT revolution to the masses, using it for generating jobs, opportunities as service providers through kiosks and other IT-related activities. Even Nasscom is planning to launch a major campaign—Operation Bandwidth—to increase the bandwidth in the country 80 times by 2003, which is sure to spur the growth of e-commerce. The passing of the IT Bill in Parliament clearly demonstrates the government’s desire and commitment to heralding a digital revolution. With the passage of Cyber Laws, realizing the dream of India becoming an IT superpower seems imminent.

 

The epoch-making information technology legislation will be implemented by Independence Day this year and will definitely be a launch pad for e-commerce and Net enabled activities. The next few months are sure to witness hectic activity in the e-commerce industry.

 

Industry welcomes passing of IT Bill

 

The Indian industry has welcomed the smooth passage of the Information Technology Bill, 1999, by the Parliamentarians. Early this week, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha okayed the Bill with voice votes, despite some meek objections from the opposition. The government made 34 amendments to the original draft following the recommendations of the standing committee.

 

Welcoming the decision of the Parliament, National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) President Dewang Mehta said, "The IT Bill offers the legal framework so that information is not denied legal effect, validity or enforceability, solely on the ground that it is in the form of electronic records. The IT Act would eliminate barriers resulting from uncertainties over writing and signature requirements and promote legal and business infrastructure necessary to implement e-commerce, spurring the use of the Internet, e-mail and e-commerce. After the passage of the IT Bill, it is expected that e-commerce transactions in 2000-01 may even exceed Rs 2,500 crore, a growth of over 500 per cent. But, adequate guidelines need to be framed in consultation with the industry so that not only cyber crimes are stopped, but also to make sure that the police do not misuse their powers while ensuring proper implementation of the Act."

 

Both Nasscom and MAIT had strongly opposed the two contentious clauses (73 A and B). One made it mandatory for cyber cafes to maintain a record of all their surfers as well as the sites visited by them. Failure of compliance was tantamount to an offence and the concerned people were liable on conviction to imprisonment or fine. The other clause said that all sites hosted in India be compulsorily registered.

 

Commenting on Clause 79, which gave the police powers to search a cyber café without warrant, MAIT Director Vinnie Mehta said, "It could create a psychological or say entry barrier with people as they might then abstain from going to cyber cafes. The government is trying to create an ideal atmosphere through the law. However, we should look at the positive aspects of the Bill. There was no legal framework till now. Now that we have it, the next step is to create an infrastructure in sync with the progress we have made."

 

NIIT chief operating officer P Rajendran remarked, "The speedy enactment of the IT Bill is a clear signal to the industry that India is now getting ready to let go of many legacies of the past and move into the global e-commerce arena with determination. It provides the basic framework for giving legality to digital records and signatures, which will push e-commerce in India into the mainstream. Business opportunities for the IT community will increase with this Bill. It would also mean cross-functional training within the government—the law enforcement, the judiciary and the like."

 

Radix Infotech managing director Ajit Sirohi said, "A positive aspect is that a number of transactions would be facilitated through credit cards. The negative aspect is that it will breed criminality on the Net. The sites, which facilitate credit card transactions on the Net, should have adequate encryption. Otherwise the entire exercise would prove futile. I strongly recommend that there should be a special court for implementing the Bill's recommendations. It should be made mandatory that no credit card transactions be allowed without digital signatures."

 

According to Softmart Solutions CEO Alok Gupta, it was a step in the right direction. "Though Clause 79 is meant to curb cyber crimes, it would allow the authorities to frisk anyone possessing a computer. Earlier, it was always possible for a person who had ordered for some goods on the Net to withdraw his order. He could always say that he never ordered. With digital signature, it would now be possible to take such a person to court and demand payment for goods ordered on the Net."

 

Infotechnics CEO Sanjeev Bhavnani also generally welcomed the IT Bill. However, he said that not much of the reactions and requirements of the IT people were taken into account. "The laws on cyber crimes are sure to be a deterrent, but not a curb. As with all these laws in the West, they will have no impact on the increasing number of cyber crimes. Digital signatures and e-transactions have got a legal validity with this Bill, which will boost e-commerce in the country. When we take into consideration the age group of the people who are using the Net for transactions, there won't be a barrier as far as credit cards are concerned. But problems may arise regarding the actual value of transactions that can be conducted on the Net and with regards to global transactions. Probably we will see a reversed IT Bill."

courtesy : http://www.ciol.com/

(Reference: Preethi K. IT Bill '99: Launch pad for e-commerce.)

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Reference

Trivedi, Aditi. (Saturday, November 08, 2003) Email: Spoofed / faked SMS messages. India: Asian School of Cyber Laws.

 

From: "Asian School" [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Cc:

Subject: Spoofed / faked SMS messages

Date: 8 Nov 2003 18:44:50 -0000

 

With the widespread use of cellular phones, the Short Messaging Service (SMS) has become a popular mode of communication. People constantly rely on SMS to send and receive text messages.

 

The significant growth of this form of communication has also given rise to the reliance of law enforcement agencies in gathering evidence from mobile phones when any crime has been committed. Many a time the law enforcement agencies have used the mobile phone to link a criminal to the crime committed.

 

This letter is to bring to your notice that SMS messages can be spoofed or faked. That means that a criminal can send an SMS message appearing to come from a victim’s cellular phone, without physically touching the victim’s cellular phone. The criminal could be in another continent and he could still send SMS messages that appear to come from the victim’s phone.

 

Asian School of Cyber Laws, Pune recently conducted experiments in SMS spoofing at the national and international level. We were able to successfully spoof SMS messages and make them appear to come from other people’s cellular phones. These people were using GSM based cellular phone services in various parts of India and other Asian as well as African countries.

 

We would like to issue a caution note to all law enforcement agencies as well as all cell phone users to be careful in relying upon the authenticity of SMS messages.

 

The topic will be covered in detail at the next ASCL Certified Cyber Crime Investigator (Level 1) course at Pune. For details visit:

 

http://www.cybercrimeinvestigation.com/

 

Regards,

 

Aditi Trivedi,

Information Department,

Asian School of Cyber Laws

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Reference

Cyber crime scene in India

http://www.rediff.com/search/2003/feb/18crime.htm

 

Pavan Duggal

Indian Supreme Court advocate and cyber law expert

Prathamesh Popat

Mumbai-based lawyer and cyber law specialist

Saileshkumar Zarkar

technical advisor and network security consultant to the Mumbai Police Cyber crime Cell

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Reference

[atlarge-discuss] [Fwd: Interim ALAC update]

http://www.fitug.de/atlarge-discuss/0301/msg00049.html

 

New Delhi based. At present, he is handling various newly emerging Cyberlaw litigations and disputes.

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Reference

Inomy Media Private Limited, New Delhi

http://www.inomy.com/editor.asp

 

Foremost cyber law expert in India, Pavan is an advocate at the Supreme Court of India. He is also President, Cyberlaws.net and a member of MAC, ICANN. He is a prolific writer for various publications including The Economic Times.

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Reference

Memorandum from At-Large Organizing Committee to ICANN Board. (Monday, December 9, 2002)

http://www.icann.org/correspondence/aloc-to-board-09dec02.htm

 

Pavan Duggal is a practising Advocate in the Supreme Court of India at New Delhi, having specialized in the newly emerging field of Cyberlaw & E-Commerce law in the last few years. An internationally renowned expert and authority on Cyberlaw, Pavan has also the credit of having done pioneering work in the field of Convergence Law. He is the Founder President of Cyberlaw Asia, Asia's pioneering organization committed to the passing of dynamic cyberlaws in the Asian continent. Cyberlaw Asia is engaged in the process of creating greater awareness about Cyberlaws in different countries of Asia. Pavan has been associated with UNESCO on Ethical, Legal, and Societal Challenges of Cyberspace in Asia and the Pacific.

 

He has been a Member of Membership Advisory Committee of The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). He has also been a member of the Membership Implementation Task Force (MITF) of ICANN.

 

Pavan is a member of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Centre Panel of Neutrals. He has taken an active part in the regional deliberations at Hyderabad relating to the Domain Names Policy formulation undertaken by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He is the consultant to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on the Asia Pacific Conference on Cybercrime and Information Security 2002. Pavan is the member of AFACT Legal Working Group of UN/CEFACT.

 

Pavan is the President of Cyberlaws.Net, The Cyberlaw Consultancy, which is Internet's unique and first ever consultancy dedicated exclusively to the new field of Cyberlaws. He is engaged in providing online consultancy relating to various issues of Cyberlaws and E-commerce. He is advising the Controller of Certifying Authorities, Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India on issues concerning the Indian Cyberlaw namely, The Information Technology Act, 2000. He is also the Member of the IT Act Legal Advisory Group constituted by the Controller of Certifying Authorities. Pavan Duggal has testified before the Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, on the Communication Convergence Bill, 2001. At present, he is handling various newly emerging Cyberlaw litigations and disputes.

 

Pavan is the Founder of The Cyberlaw Association, Internet's pioneering association dedicated to the growth of Cyberlaws in cyberspace. He has been associated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). He is the Founder of Cyberarbitration, an online system of alternative dispute resolution. He is the Founder of CyberlawIndia, an organization committed to the passing of dynamic cyberlaws in India. Cyberlawindia is membership based and is engaged in the process of creating greater awareness about Cyberlaws in India. Pavan Duggal is also the exclusive contributor on India's only vortal on Cyberlaw in India being Cyberlaw India at www.cyberlawindia.com. He is member of Inter-Ministerial Working Group of Cyber Law and Cyber Forensics of Government of India. He is associated with Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India on legal issues of Electronic Governance. He is the author of the book entitled "Cyberlaw – The Indian Perspective".

 

Pavan is the visiting faculty for Cyberlaw at the National Police Academy, Hyderabad, SEMCOM, Gujarat and Indian Law Institute, Delhi. He has conceptualize and taught a comprehensive course on Cybercrime, for the Bureau of Police Research & Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Pavan is associated with NASSCOM, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Indo German Chambers of Commerce (IGCC), All India Management Association (AIMA) on various Cyberlaw and E-Commerce law issues. He is the Cyberlaw correspondent for the Global Legal Publication JURIST: The Legal Education Network.

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http://in.geocities.com/anindianyogi/cyberlaws.html

 

Published on internet:  Saturday, October 25, 2003

Revised:  Thursday, September 20, 2007

 

Information on the web site is given in good faith about a certain spiritual way of life, irrespective of any specific religion, in the belief that the information is not misused, misjudged or misunderstood. Persons using this information for whatever purpose must rely on their own skill, intelligence and judgment in its application. The webmaster does not accept any liability for harm or damage resulting from advice given in good faith on this website.

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“Thou belongest to That Which Is Undying, and not merely to time alone,” murmured the Sphinx, breaking its muteness at last. “Thou art eternal, and not merely of the vanishing flesh. The soul in man cannot be killed, cannot die. It waits, shroud-wrapped, in thy heart, as I waited, sand-wrapped, in thy world. Know thyself, O mortal! For there is One within thee, as in all men, that comes and stands at the bar and bears witness that there IS a God!

(Reference: Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret Egypt. (17th Impression) London, UK: Rider & Company. Page: 35.)

Amen

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