Brief Context
Context The Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Amendment Rules, 2025, were notified by the Department of Telecommunications. Key Amendments TIUEs: The rules create a new category called Telecommunication Identifier User Entities (TIUEs), covering any business that uses phone numbers to identify customers or deliver services — except licensed telecom operators. TIUEs must now comply with government directives on suspending phone numbers, respond to data requests and verify customer ident
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Syllabus: GS3/Cybersecurity
Context
- The Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Amendment Rules, 2025, were notified by the Department of Telecommunications.
Key Amendments
- TIUEs: The rules create a new category called Telecommunication Identifier User Entities (TIUEs), covering any business that uses phone numbers to identify customers or deliver services — except licensed telecom operators.
- TIUEs must now comply with government directives on suspending phone numbers, respond to data requests and verify customer identities as prescribed by authorities.
- Broad Scope: The government has brought all digital services that use mobile numbers — from WhatsApp and payment apps to food delivery platforms — under telecom cybersecurity regulations.
- This brings platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, PhonePe, Paytm, Ola, Uber and messaging services under the same regulatory framework that governs Airtel and Jio.
- Mobile number verification (MNV) system: It established a government-run MNV system and mandated database checks before buying or selling used phones.
- It will verify whether phone numbers provided by users correspond to legitimate telecom subscribers.
- Immediate Action: The rules allow authorities to act immediately without prior notice if deemed necessary for “public interest”.
- Suspension of Accounts: The rules empower authorities to order immediate suspension of user accounts across multiple services simultaneously.
- It can order both telecom operators and apps to suspend its use.
- Used Phone Sales Require Checks: Anyone buying or selling a used mobile phone must now verify its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number against a government database before completing the transaction.
- The database will list IMEI numbers of devices that have been tampered with, reported stolen, or restricted for fraud or security reasons.
- Selling or purchasing devices with blacklisted IMEIs will be prohibited.
- Government verification gateway: Apps and services can request validation through this government platform, either voluntarily or when directed by authorities. Government agencies will have assured access.
- The system will check user-provided numbers against databases maintained by telecom operators like Airtel, Jio and Vi.
Need for the Amendments
- The measures are meant to target a cybercrime surge based on stolen or forged mobile connections and phone handsets.
- Financial Frauds: As per the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), over 740,000 cyber crime cases were reported in just the first four months of 2024 85% related to online financial fraud.
- Investment and trading scams often conducted through WhatsApp groups or Telegram channels using fake identities accounted for over 83,000 cases during that period.
- Use of Mobile Phones: Criminals routinely use fake, stolen or cloned mobile numbers to bypass one-time password verification, create fraudulent accounts on platforms, and impersonate legitimate users.
- The stolen phone market has emerged as a major enabler to conduct fraud whilst evading tracking.
- The mandatory IMEI checks aim to disrupt this supply chain.
Source: HT