20-Year-Old Hacker Arrested: How He Breached Telangana Police’s Security!

NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old student from Delhi has been arrested for hacking the Telangana police department’s Hawk Eye and TSCOP applications, keeping the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) on high alert over the past few days.

The accused, Jatin Kumar, a student from Noida and a native of Jhansi, was apprehended following a thorough investigation by the TGCSB. The Director-General of Telangana, Ravi Gupta, assured the public that no sensitive or financial data of any user had been compromised in the breach.

Social Media Panic

The arrest comes in response to widespread concerns on social media after screenshots of the breach went viral. Netizens raised numerous privacy concerns, prompting TGCSB to prioritize the case. This marks the ninth such incident this year, with the data breach initially detected in the Hawk Eye application, followed by leaks concerning TSCOP and police SMS services.

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The Investigation and Arrest

TGCSB investigators traveled to Delhi, where they successfully identified and arrested Kumar. He had allegedly posted the compromised data on a public platform, offering it for sale at $150. Interested buyers were directed to contact him via Telegram IDs Adm1nfr1end and Adm1nfr1ends for Hawk Eye and TSCOP data, respectively.

“Advanced tools were used to unveil the hacker’s identity,” an official stated. Despite his efforts to remain anonymous, TGCSB personnel deployed social engineering techniques to track him down. Kumar was apprehended on June 8 and will be transported to Hyderabad on a transit remand.

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Crypto Transactions and Previous Offenses

All transactions related to the data breach were conducted in cryptocurrency, according to officials involved in the probe. “We are in the process of tracking crypto wallet transactions and verifying if the hacker had allies in the country or was acting alone,” they added.

Kumar has a history of cybercrimes. He was previously involved in a similar case of hacking and was arrested by the Special Cell Dwarka Police Station, New Delhi, in 2023. He had also leaked Aadhaar card data and critical information related to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), explained TGCSB Director Shikha Goel.

Privacy Not Compromised

DGP Gupta emphasized that TSCOP is solely utilized for in-house tasks, ensuring that no confidential or financial user data is collected. “It is a fact that TSCOP does not collect any visitor or hotel management data. Hence, it is incorrect to say that TSCOP pushed such data to any third party,” clarified the official.

Enhanced Security Measures

In response to the breach, comprehensive monitoring and vulnerability assessments have been initiated across all police internal and external networks, web and mobile applications, as well as cloud and endpoints to identify and address any security issues, added Gupta.

The department has also pledged to take legal action against anyone spreading misinformation or attempting to hinder the ongoing investigation. “The department will initiate suitable legal action against any person involved in spreading wrong and misleading information among the public besides trying to hamper the ongoing investigation through misinformation,” concluded the official release.

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The arrest of Jatin Kumar highlights the growing concerns over cybersecurity and the importance of vigilant monitoring and swift action in safeguarding sensitive information.

Understanding TSCOP and HawkEye Apps

• HawkEye App: This app is designed for public use in Telangana. Launched in 2014, it allows citizens to report various issues to the police. Here are some of its functionalities:
  • Report violations and tip off police about crimes.
  • Report crimes against women specifically.
  • Access emergency assistance through an SOS button (requires sharing personal details like name, email, and phone number).
• TSCOP App: This app is for internal police use only, launched in 2018. Here are some of its functionalities:
  • Provides instant information to officers to aid in solving crimes.
  • Enables access to crime and criminal databases.
  • Allows matching images of people taken during patrols with the databases.
  • Integrates a facial recognition system (FRS) for identifying criminals, unknown bodies, or missing children.
  • Grants access to a comprehensive “360-degree view of every citizen” database