#Fact Check-Misleading Newspaper from Kerala stating ban on paper currency

Overview:

In today’s digital landscape, safeguarding personal data and communications is more crucial than ever. WhatsApp, as one of the world’s leading messaging platforms, consistently enhances its security features to protect user interactions, offering a seamless and private messaging experience

App Lock: Secure Access with Biometric Authentication

To fortify security at the device level, WhatsApp offers an app lock feature, enabling users to protect their app with biometric authentication such as fingerprint or Face ID. This feature ensures that only authorized users can access the app, adding an additional layer of protection to private conversations.

How to Enable App Lock:

1. Open WhatsApp and navigate to Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Scroll down and tap App Lock.
4. Activate Fingerprint Lock or Face ID and follow the on-screen instructions.

Chat Lock: Restrict Access to Private Conversations

WhatsApp allows users to lock specific chats, moving them to a secured folder that requires biometric authentication or a passcode for access. This feature is ideal for safeguarding sensitive conversations from unauthorized viewing.

How to Lock a Chat:

1. Open WhatsApp and select the chat to be locked.
2. Tap on the three dots (Android) or More Options (iPhone).
3. Select Lock Chat
4. Enable the lock using Fingerprint or Face ID.

Privacy Checkup: Strengthening Security Preferences

The privacy checkup tool assists users in reviewing and customizing essential security settings. It provides guidance on adjusting visibility preferences, call security, and blocked contacts, ensuring a personalized and secure communication experience.

How to Run Privacy Checkup:

1. Open WhatsApp and navigate to Settings.
2. Tap Privacy.
3. Select Privacy Checkup and follow the prompts to adjust settings.

Automatic Blocking of Unknown Accounts and Messages

To combat spam and potential security threats, WhatsApp automatically restricts unknown accounts that send excessive messages. Users can also manually block or report suspicious contacts to further enhance security.

How to Manage Blocking of Unknown Accounts:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Tap to Advanced 
4. Enable Block unknown account messages

IP Address Protection in Calls

To prevent tracking and enhance privacy, WhatsApp provides an option to hide IP addresses during calls. When enabled, calls are routed through WhatsApp’s servers, preventing location exposure via direct connections.

How to Enable IP Address Protection in Calls:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Select Privacy, then tap Advanced.
3. Enable Protect IP Address in Calls. 

Disappearing Messages: Auto-Deleting Conversations

Disappearing messages help maintain confidentiality by automatically deleting sent messages after a predefined period—24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. This feature is particularly beneficial for reducing digital footprints.

How to Enable Disappearing Messages:

1. Open the chat and tap the Chat Name.
2. Select Disappearing Messages.
3. Choose the preferred duration before messages disappear.

View Once: One-Time Access to Media Files

The ‘View Once’ feature ensures that shared photos and videos can only be viewed a single time before being automatically deleted, reducing the risk of unauthorized storage or redistribution.

How to Send View Once Media:

1. Open a chat and tap the attachment icon.
2. Choose Camera or Gallery to select media.
3. Tap the ‘1’ icon before sending the media file.

Group Privacy Controls: Manage Who Can Add You

WhatsApp provides users with the ability to control group invitations, preventing unwanted additions by unknown individuals. Users can restrict group invitations to ‘Everyone,’ ‘My Contacts,’ or ‘My Contacts Except…’ for enhanced privacy.

How to Adjust Group Privacy Settings:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Select Privacy and tap Groups.
3. Choose from the available options: Everyone, My Contacts, or My Contacts Except

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Conclusion

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WhatsApp continuously enhances its security features to protect user privacy and ensure safe communication. With tools like App Lock, Chat Lock, Privacy Checkup, IP Address Protection, and Disappearing Messages, users can safeguard their data and interactions. Features like View Once and Group Privacy Controls further enhance confidentiality. By enabling these settings, users can maintain a secure and private messaging experience, effectively reducing risks associated with unauthorized access, tracking, and digital footprints. Stay updated and leverage these features for enhanced security.

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Introduction:

Welcome to the third edition of our blog on digital forensics series. In our previous blog we discussed the difference between copying, cloning, and imaging in the context of Digital Forensics, and found out why imaging is a better process. Today we will discuss the process of evidence collection in Digital Forensics. The whole process starts with making sure the evidence collection team has all necessary tools required for the task.

Investigating Tools and Equipment:

Below are some mentioned tools that the team should carry with them for a successful evidence collection:

• Anti-static bags
• Faraday bags
• Toolkit having screwdrivers(nonmagnetic), scissors, pins, cutters, forceps, clips etc.
• Rubber gloves
• Incident response toolkit (Software)
• Converter/Adapter: USB, SATA, IDE, SCSI
• Imaging software
• Volatile data collection tools (FTK Imager, Magnet Forensics RAM Capture)
• Pens, permanent markers
• Storage containers
• Batteries
• Video cameras
• Note/sketch pads
• Blank storage media
• Write-Blocker device
• Labels
• Crime scene security tapes
• Camera

What sources of Data are necessary for Digital Evidence?

• Hard-Drive (Desktop, Laptop, External, Server)
• Flash Drive
• SD Cards
• Floppy Disks
• Optical Media (CD, DVD)
• CCTV/DVR
• Internal Storage of Mobile Device
• GPS (Mobile/Car)
• Call Site Track (Towers)
• RAM

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Evidence Collection

The investigators encounter two primary types of evidence during the course of gathering evidence: non-electronic and electronic evidence.

The following approaches could be used to gather non-electronic evidence:

• In the course of looking into electronic crimes, recovering non-electronic evidence can be extremely important.  Be cautious to make sure that this kind of evidence is retrieved and kept safe. Items that may be relevant to a later review of electronic evidence include passwords, papers or printouts, calendars, literature, hardware and software manuals, text or graphical computer printouts, and photos.  These items should be secured and kept for further examination.
• They are frequently found close to the computer or other related hardware.  Locating, securing, and preserving all evidence is required by departmental procedures.

Three scenarios arise for the collection of digital evidence from computers: 

Situation 1: The desktop is visible, and the monitor is on.

• Take a picture of the screen and note the data that is visible. 
• Utilize tools for memory capturing to gather volatile data.
• Look for virtual disks. If so, gather mounted data's logical copies.
• Give each port and connection a label.
• Take a picture of them.
• Turn off network access to stop remote access.
• Cut off the power or turn it off.
• Locate and disconnect the hard drive by opening the CPU chassis.
• Take all evidence and place it in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
• Deliver the evidence to the forensic lab.
• Keep the chain of custody intact.

Situation 2: The monitor is turned on, but it either has a blank screen (sleep mode) or an image for the screensaver.

• Make a small mouse movement (without pressing buttons). The work product should appear on the screen, or it should ask for a password.
• If moving the mouse does not result in a change to the screen, stop using the mouse and stop all keystrokes.
• Take a picture of the screen and note the data that is visible.
• Use memory capturing tools to gather volatile data (always use a write blocker to prevent manipulation during data collection).
• Proceed further in accordance with Situation 1.

Situation 3: The Monitor Is Off

• Write down the "off" status.
• After turning on the monitor, check to see if its status matches that of situations 1 or 2 above, and then take the appropriate action.
• Using a phone modem, cable, confirm that you are connected to the outside world. Try to find the phone number if there is a connection to the phone.
• To protect evidence, take out the floppy disks that might be there, package each disk separately, and label the evidence.  Put in a blank floppy disk or a seizure disk, if one is available. Avoid touching the CD drive or taking out CDs.
• Cover the power connector and every drive slot with tape.
• Note the serial number, make, and model.
• Take a picture of the computer's connections and make a diagram with the relevant cables.
• To enable precise reassembly at a later date, label all connectors and cable ends, including connections to peripheral devices. Put "unused" on any connection ports that are not in use.  Recognize docking stations for laptop computers in an attempt to locate additional storage media.
• All evidence should be seized and placed in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
• All evidence should be seized and placed in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
• Put a tag or label on every bag.
• Deliver the evidence to the forensic lab.
• Keep the chain of custody intact. 

Following the effective gathering of data, the following steps in the process are crucial: data packaging, data transportation, and data storage.

The following are the steps involved in data packaging, transportation, and storage:

Packaging:

• Label every computer system that is gathered so that it can be put back together exactly as it was found

When gathering evidence at a scene of crime,

• Before packing, make sure that every piece of evidence has been appropriately  labeled and documented.
• Latent or trace evidence requires particular attention, and steps should be taken to preserve it.
• Use paper or antistatic plastic bags for packing magnetic media to prevent static electricity. Do not use materials like regular plastic bags (instead use faraday bags) that can cause static electricity. 
• Be careful not to bend, fold, computer media like tapes, or CD-ROM.
• Make sure that the labels on every container used to store evidence are correct.

Transporting

• Make sure devices are not packed in containers and are safely fastened inside the car to avoid shock and excessive vibrations. Computers could be positioned on the floor of the car,and monitors could be mounted on the seat with the screen down .

When transporting evidence—

• Any electronic evidence should be kept away from magnetic sources.  Radiation transmitters, speaker magnets, and heated seats are a few examples of items that can contaminate electronic evidence.
• Avoid leaving electronic evidence in your car for longer than necessary. Electronic devices can be harmed by extremes in temperature, humidity.
• Maintain the integrity of the chain of custody while transporting any evidence.

Storing

• Evidence should be kept safe and away from extremes in humidity and temperature. Keep it away from dust, moisture, magnetic devices, and other dangerous impurities.  Be advised that extended storage may cause important evidence—like dates, times, and system configurations—to disappear. Because batteries have a finite lifespan, data loss may occur if they malfunction. Whenever the battery operated device needs immediate attention, it should be informed to the relevant authority (eg., the chief of laboratory, the forensic examiner, and the custodian of the evidence). 

CONCLUSION:

Thus, securing the crime scene to packaging, transportation and storage of data are the important steps in the process of collecting digital evidence in forensic investigations. Keeping the authenticity during the process along with their provenance is critical during this phase. It is also important to ensure the admissibility of evidence in legal proceedings. This systematic approach is essential for effectively investigating and prosecuting digital crimes.

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Introduction

AI-generated fake videos are proliferating on the Internet indeed becoming more common by the day. There is a use of sophisticated AI algorithms that help manipulate or generate multimedia content such as videos, audio, and images. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine, altered, or fake content, and these AI-manipulated videos look realistic. A recent study has shown that 98% of deepfake-generated videos have adult content featuring young girls, women, and children, with India ranking 6th among the nations that suffer from misuse of deepfake technology. This practice has dangerous consequences and could harm an individual's reputation, and criminals could use this technology to create a false narrative about a candidate or a political party during elections.

The working of deepfake videos is based on algorithms that refine the fake content, and the generators are built and trained in such a way as to get the desired output. The process is repeated several times, allowing the generator to improve the content until it seems realistic, making it more flawless. Deepfake videos are created by specific approaches some of them are: -

• Lip syncing: This is the most common technique used in deepfake. Here, the voice recordings of the video, make it appear as to what was originally said by the person appearing in the video.
• Audio deepfake:  For Audio-generated deepfake, a generative adversarial network (GAN) is used to colon a person’s voice, based on the vocal patterns and refine it till the desired output is generated.

• Deepfake has become so serious that the technology could be used by bad actors or by cyber-terrorist squads to set their Geo-political agendas.  Looking at the present situation in the past few the number of cases has just doubled, targeting children, women and popular faces. 

• Greater Risk: in the last few years the cases of deep fake have risen. by the end of the year 2022, the number of cases has risen to 96% against women and children according to a survey.
• Every 60 seconds, a deepfake pornographic video is created, now quicker and more affordable than ever, it takes less than 25 minutes and costs using just one clean face image.  
• The connection to deepfakes is that people can become targets of "revenge porn" without the publisher having sexually explicit photographs or films of the victim. They may be made using any number of random pictures or images collected from the internet to obtain the same result. This means that almost everyone who has taken a selfie or shared a photograph of oneself online faces the possibility of a deepfake being constructed in their image.

Deepfake-related security concerns

As deepfakes proliferate, more people are realising that they can be used not only to create non-consensual porn but also as part of disinformation and fake news campaigns with the potential to sway elections and rekindle frozen or low-intensity conflicts.

Deepfakes have three security implications: at the international level, strategic deepfakes have the potential to destroy precarious peace; at the national level, deepfakes may be used to unduly influence elections, and the political process, or discredit opposition, which is a national security concern, and at the personal level, the scope for using Women suffer disproportionately from exposure to sexually explicit content as compared to males, and they are more frequently threatened. 

Policy Consideration

Looking at the present situation where the cases of deepfake are on the rise against women and children, the policymakers need to be aware that deepfakes are utilized for a variety of valid objectives, including artistic and satirical works, which policymakers should be aware of. Therefore, simply banning deepfakes is not a way consistent with fundamental liberties. One conceivable legislative option is to require a content warning or disclaimer. Deepfake is an advanced technology and misuse of deepfake technology is a crime.

What are the existing rules to combat deepfakes?

It's worth noting that both the IT Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021 require social media intermediaries to remove deep-fake videos or images as soon as feasible. Failure to follow these guidelines can result in up to three years in jail and a Rs 1 lakh fine. Rule 3(1)(b)(vii) requires social media intermediaries to guarantee that its users do not host content that impersonates another person, and Rule 3(2)(b) requires such content to be withdrawn within 24 hours of receiving a complaint. Furthermore, the government has stipulated that any post must be removed within 36 hours of being published online. Recently government has also issued an advisory to social media intermediaries to identify misinformation and deepfakes.

Conclusion

It is important to foster ethical and responsible consumption of technology. This can only be achieved by creating standards for both the creators and users, educating individuals about content limits, and providing information. Internet-based platforms should also devise techniques to deter the uploading of inappropriate information. We can reduce the negative and misleading impacts of deepfakes by collaborating and ensuring technology can be used in a better manner.  

References

• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/parenting/moments/how-social-media-scandals-like-deepfake-impact-minors-and-students-mental-health/articleshow/105168380.cms?from=mdr
• https://www.aa.com.tr/en/science-technology/deepfake-technology-putting-children-at-risk-say-experts/2980880
• https://wiisglobal.org/deepfakes-as-a-security-issue-why-gender-matters/