Srinagar/New Delhi, Aug 30: Security agencies have detected a new method allegedly being used by terror groups and their handlers to communicate with recruits in Jammu and Kashmir, with officials saying pornography websites and niche encrypted applications are being used to evade conventional surveillance.
According to officials, the shift comes after security agencies earlier identified the misuse of online gaming platforms for communication by terror networks. The latest channels reportedly include platforms with real-time chat features that appear to be designed for connecting users, but are allegedly being exploited by handlers to send instructions and coordinate activities.
Officials said some terror handlers are also relying on applications that use the Tor network, which routes internet traffic through multiple encrypted relays and can make it difficult to identify the original user.
Among the applications being examined by security agencies are Tor-based messaging platforms such as Coatex and Conion, officials said. Some of these applications reportedly operate without conventional registration requirements, while others provide encrypted communication and features intended to limit the traceability of users.
Security agencies are also monitoring privacy-focused applications that allow users to communicate without providing a phone number or SIM card, officials said. Other anonymous messaging platforms are reportedly being examined for their potential use by handlers and recruits.
Officials said some of the platforms being monitored are accessible in India through methods such as VPNs, which can conceal a user’s IP address and make online activity more difficult to trace.
The use of the Tor network itself is not illegal and has legitimate applications, including protecting privacy and helping users circumvent censorship. However, security agencies are concerned that its anonymity features can also be exploited by criminal and terror networks.
According to officials, terror groups are increasingly moving away from mainstream platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Signal in an effort to make their communications harder to detect.
The agencies are particularly concerned about the alleged use of such platforms for recruitment and radicalisation of young people in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said the applications vary in their security features, with some offering end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages and other privacy-focused tools.
Security agencies have also observed the use of communication applications that can function on slower mobile networks, including 2G and EDGE, officials said. Some platforms reportedly do not require users to provide a phone number or email address while registering.
The latest findings have emerged amid continuing efforts by security agencies to track the use of foreign-generated virtual SIM cards and other technologies that can leave limited digital traces.
The use of virtual SIM cards in terror operations came under scrutiny during investigations into the 2019 Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The National Investigation Agency had found that more than 40 virtual SIM cards were used by the Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber and his associates in connection with the attack.
Security agencies are now working to adapt their cyber-surveillance capabilities to identify and intercept communication taking place through newer, less conventional digital platforms, officials said.
