Screening system to block ‘dangerous’ blogs, sites
Joji Thomas Philip & Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee
Times News Network
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
NEW DELHI: Errant websites won’t be able to escape this net. The Centre is putting in place an advance screening system at the bandwidth landing stations to block individual websites and blogs perceived as threats to national security.
The technology to be put in place at the eight landing stations — which bring international bandwidth into the country — will be capable of blocking websites at a sub-domain level, thus saving internet service providers (ISPs) from a sweeping shutdown. “GoI has realised that the most effective way to keep out such sites is through URL-based blocking solutions installed at international gateways,” a highly-placed source told ET.
After the system is in place, the department of telecommunications (DoT) can direct international long distance (ILD) players who own the landing stations to block a particular URL at the sub-domain level.
This will come as a major relief for ISPs who were carrying the burden to block specific webpages till now. The issue of blocking individual websites had come into prominence following the Mumbai blasts in July, when DoT had directed ISPs to ban 18 blogs and websites.
However, as ISPs did not possess the technologies needed to execute the directive, the service providers implemented the ban at the domain level. This resulted in a public outcry and international criticism as users were unable to access hundreds of thousands of websites and blogs.
Sources also confirmed that DoT has circulated a draft report on Monday on ‘technical measurers for blocking of websites’ to key ministries, security agencies, leading ISPs and the three ILD players who own landing stations.
At present, there are eight landing stations in India. Of these, five are owned by VSNL, two by Reliance Communications and one by Bharti Airtel. Sources said these ILD operators would be mandated to install equipment specified by DoT.
The department in its bid to shortlist the requisite equipment to block websites had recently called for presentations from leading vendors such as Cisco, Juniper and Span Systems, sources added. The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPA), the body representing all ISPs, has already welcomed the DoT move.
Times News Network
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
NEW DELHI: Errant websites won’t be able to escape this net. The Centre is putting in place an advance screening system at the bandwidth landing stations to block individual websites and blogs perceived as threats to national security.
The technology to be put in place at the eight landing stations — which bring international bandwidth into the country — will be capable of blocking websites at a sub-domain level, thus saving internet service providers (ISPs) from a sweeping shutdown. “GoI has realised that the most effective way to keep out such sites is through URL-based blocking solutions installed at international gateways,” a highly-placed source told ET.
After the system is in place, the department of telecommunications (DoT) can direct international long distance (ILD) players who own the landing stations to block a particular URL at the sub-domain level.
This will come as a major relief for ISPs who were carrying the burden to block specific webpages till now. The issue of blocking individual websites had come into prominence following the Mumbai blasts in July, when DoT had directed ISPs to ban 18 blogs and websites.
However, as ISPs did not possess the technologies needed to execute the directive, the service providers implemented the ban at the domain level. This resulted in a public outcry and international criticism as users were unable to access hundreds of thousands of websites and blogs.
Sources also confirmed that DoT has circulated a draft report on Monday on ‘technical measurers for blocking of websites’ to key ministries, security agencies, leading ISPs and the three ILD players who own landing stations.
At present, there are eight landing stations in India. Of these, five are owned by VSNL, two by Reliance Communications and one by Bharti Airtel. Sources said these ILD operators would be mandated to install equipment specified by DoT.
The department in its bid to shortlist the requisite equipment to block websites had recently called for presentations from leading vendors such as Cisco, Juniper and Span Systems, sources added. The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPA), the body representing all ISPs, has already welcomed the DoT move.
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