GoI to soon launch CEIR tracking system for lost or stolen phones, but privacy remains a concern

There’s nothing more upsetting than losing your mobile phone or having it stolen and then dealing with getting a SIM reissued, and worrying that your phone may be used for nefarious purposes. Thanks to a new, upcoming initiative by the Department of Telecommunications, Indian mobile phone users will now have a one-stop shop to get their lost or stole phones blocked. Starting from May 17, the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR), a system created and managed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is expected to be accessible throughout India. As stated on CEIR’s official website, the system was implemented in all union territories and select districts in all states in March of this year. However, it appears that this month marks the inclusion of all districts as part of the wider deployment. What is CEIR? The Centre for the Department of Telematics (CDoT) has developed the CEIR system, which has undergone pilot testing in various telecom circles such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the North East region. At the core of this system lies the IMEI number, a distinct identifier assigned to each phone and registered with telecom providers in India as soon as the device connects to a network. It is through this process of the device registering itself on a telecom network using its IMEI number that the government will be able to track and locate phones that have been stolen or misplaced. The CEIR essentially enables individuals to prevent unauthorized use of their smartphones in the event of theft. Once a mobile device is blocked, the government can track and recover the phone. Users have the option to block their smartphones either through the CEIR website or the KYM (Know Your Mobile) app, which is available for download on the Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store for iPhones running iOS. How to use CEIR? To utilize the services provided by CEIR, users must adhere to a series of steps. Firstly, they are required to approach the nearest police station and lodge an FIR (First Information Report) for the lost or stolen phone. Subsequently, users should complete an online form available on the CEIR website and app, providing necessary information such as the mobile number, device model, IMEI 1 and 2 numbers, and details regarding the location where the phone went missing. Additionally, the CEIR website requests users to upload a scanned copy of the filed FIR. Upon successful submission of the blocking request, the user’s phone will be blocked within 24 hours. As a result, the device will be rendered inoperable on any network across India. It is important to note that blocking the IMEI does not hinder the police’s ability to track the lost or stolen phone. Users can also monitor the progress of their complaints by accessing the CEIR website and checking the status accordingly. How is it different from Google or Apple’s Find My Device? The CEIR system implemented by the government relies on the IMEI number to track and block active phones. Once a phone is blocked through the CEIR system, it becomes unable to connect to any telecom network within the country. Consequently, using the blocked phone with any SIM card issued in India is not possible, unless the IMEI number of the device is falsified or “spoofed.” In comparison, the tracking mechanisms provided by Apple and Google offer a more robust approach. Apple, the creator of the iPhone, and Google, the developer of Android software, utilize device-level authentication to locate and track their devices. This authentication operates through both cellular networks and Wi-Fi connections. Furthermore, when a user blocks a phone using Apple or Google’s Find Phone feature, the device remains locked until its details can be re-verified and re-authenticated by the original user. The device-level authentication also grants users the ability to remotely erase all data on the device if it falls into the wrong hands. The CEIR system does not possess this capability. What are the security and privacy concerns with CEIR? There is a significant concern related to phone tracking, which applies to CEIR and to the tracking systems provided by Google and Apple. Technologies that enable device tracking pose a substantial privacy risk, as many users have experienced over the years. When phone tracking is enabled, the location of a phone, and consequently the location of its user, can be accessed by anyone who possesses the Google or Apple account details and password of the individual in question. The only difference is that while Google and Apple give users the option to turn off location services such as Find My Device, CEIR does not give users that option, nor does it allow users to opt out of the database that the government will keep. Instead, the government will keep a list of all the IMEI numbers that service providers have. This highlights the potential invasion of privacy that can occur when tracking capabilities are utilized, raising concerns about the protection of personal information and location data. The CEIR system has the potential to track all phone users in India in real-time as its default functionality. While the tracking may be deactivated when a phone is switched off, as it relies on data from the cellular network, there still exists a significant privacy risk. This risk is particularly concerning for individuals who do not wish for the government to have knowledge of their whereabouts, such as their dining preferences or shopping locations. It should be noted that the CEIR website does not address the potential privacy issues associated with its system. Furthermore, the website fails to provide an explanation regarding the utilization of IMEI data obtained from phone companies or the data submitted by users. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.