KOCHI: The police probing the hoax emails on August 24 that warned of a bomb blast at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) suspect that the sender is using spoofed IP addresses. Even as the police launched a probe, a CSL official received another email on Sunday threatening to carry out an explosion at CSL, where India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) is in the final stage of construction.
Seven officials had got the emails on August 24. Sunday’s mail was received by one of them. All emails had a similar content asking for a ransom using bitcoin to prevent the explosion. “The investigation is in the hands of experts with Cyberdome and Cyber police station.
Though the IP addresses of the emails sent were traced, these looked bogus. Maybe, the emails were sent using VPN, Tor browser or other advanced methods so that the identity remains clandestine. But cyber experts are trying their best to trace the person,” a police officer said.
The cops had questioned two persons in the incident last week and let them off. However, cops were surprised to see the new email popping up even after the suspects were questioned. “From the content, it is clear that someone who knows CSL operations is sending the mail. Now, there are more suspects before us who have to be questioned,” an official said. Meanwhile, the police have directed CSL officials not to open any anonymous emails they receive as cyber attacks cannot be ruled out.