Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on 17 March 2014 released guidelines to tackle the threats of cyber attacks and hacking of websites.
DoT issued guidelines to all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adopt new security measures to advise customers to take necessary precautions to protect modems from malware attacks and hacking attempts. Modem is an instrument that connects a computer to the Internet.
DoT had written to all ISPs to assist customers to change the password of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) modem to avoid unauthorised access to modem. The password was normally installed by broadband service providers. The ADSL modems are presently supplied by vendors with default set up of user ID and password as admin.
An ADSL modem is a version of the regular DSL modem, that gives higher download but lower upload speeds.
The DoT had said that ISP’s should disable protocol ports on the modems which otherwise may be used as hacking points to plant malwares.
The DoT had asked the ISPs to tell their customers to check their online daily usage, and if any unexpected high usage of data is noticed, they may bring it to the notice of the ISP concerned.
Consumers should also upgrade to latest firmware or software and ISP’s should disseminate the message to customers at the time of installation and at regular intervals
Besides, Customers should also be advised to switch off their modem when not in use.
DoT had asked all the ISP’s to implement all the guidelines by May 2014 to ensure security of almost 1.5 crore fixed-line broadband users.
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