Cyber conference: Experts urge telcos to tighten rules to curb cyber fraud

Experts have recommended that telecom service providers take greater responsibility in strengthening customer verification processes and extending proactive support to investigative agencies to deal with 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 CBI and the home ministry's anti-cybercrime unit I4C.

The CBI and I4C will send their report and recommendations to the ministry based on the deliberations of the two-day conference on cyber crime that concluded on Wednesday.

The use of artificial intelligence in tackling cyber crimes by enhancing investigation capabilities was also discussed during the conference.

During the conference, around 375 experts from different fields including law enforcement, banking and finance, cyber security, and telecom, among others presented their views on tackling cyber crimes.

"Participants emphasized the need for a coordinated national response involving law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and technology intermediaries," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

The officials said experts discussed the misuse of telecom infrastructure, including SIM and eSIM vulnerabilities, in cyber frauds.

"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 also stressed the importance of faster data sharing, timely preservation of digital evidence, and robust cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies, the officials said.