#FactCheck - "Viral Video Falsely Claimed as Evidence of Attacks in Bangladesh is False & Misleading”

Introduction

The Indian healthcare sector has been transforming remarkably. This is mainly due to the development of emerging technologies such as AI and IoT. The rapid adoption of technology in healthcare delivery such as AI and IoT integration along with telemedicine, digital health solutions, and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) have enhanced the efficacy of hospitals, driving growth. The integration of AI and IoT devices in healthcare can improve patient care, health record management, and telemedicine and reshape the medical landscape as we know it. However, their implementation must be safe, with robust security and ethical safeguards in place.

The Transformative Power of AI and IoT in Revolutionising Healthcare

IoT devices for healthcare such as smartwatches, wearable patches, and ingestive sensors are equipped with sensors. These devices take physiological parameters in real-time, including heart rate, blood pressure, glucose level, etc. This can be forwarded automatically from these wearables to healthcare providers and EHR systems. Real-time patient health data enable doctors to monitor progress and intervene when needed. 

The sheer volume of data generated by IoT healthcare devices opens avenues for applying AI. AI and ML algorithms can analyse patient data for patterns that further provide diagnostic clues and predict adverse events before they occur. A combination of AI and IoT opens avenues for proactive and personalised medicine tailored to specific patient profiles. This amalgamation can be a bridge between healthcare accessibility and quality. And, especially in rural and underserved areas, it can help receive timely and effective medical consultations, significantly improving healthcare outcomes. Moreover, the integration of AI-powered chatbots and virtual health assistants is enhancing patient engagement by providing instant medical advice and appointment scheduling. 

CyberPeace Takeaway, the Challenges and the Way Forward 

Some of the main challenges associated with integrating AI and IoT in healthcare include cybersecurity due to data privacy concerns, lack of interoperability, and skill gaps in implementation. Addressing these requires enhanced measures or specific policies, such as:

• Promoting collaborations among governments, regulators, industry, and academia to foster a healthcare innovation ecosystem such as public-private partnerships and funding opportunities to drive collaborative advancements in the sector. Additionally, engaging in capacity-building programs to upskill professionals.
• Infrastructural development, including startup support for scalable AI and IoT solutions. Engaging in creating healthcare-specific cybersecurity enhancements to protect sensitive data. According to a 2024 report by Check Point Software Technologies, the Indian healthcare sector has experienced an average of 6,935 cyberattacks per week, compared to 1,821 attacks per organisation globally in 2024. 

Conclusion 

The Deloitte survey highlights that on average hospitals spend 8–10% of their IT budget on cybersecurity techniques, such as hiring professionals and acquiring tools to minimise cyber-attacks to the maximum extent. Additionally, this spending is likely to increase to 12-15 % in the next two years moving towards proactive measures for cybersecurity. 

The policy frameworks and initiatives are also carried out by the government. One of the Indian government's ways of driving innovation in AI and IoT in healthcare is through initiatives under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), the National Health Policy and the Digital India Initiative.

Though the challenges presented by data privacy and cyber security persist, the strong policies, public-private collaborations, capacity-building initiatives and the evolving startup ecosystem carry AI and IoT’s potential forward from the thoughtful merging of innovative health technologies, delivery models, and analytics. If the integration complexities are creatively tackled, these could profoundly improve patient outcomes while bending the healthcare cost curve. 

References

• https://www.ndtv.com/business-news/indian-healthcare-sector-faced-6-935-cyberattacks-per-week-in-last-6-months-report-5989240 
• https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/meity-nasscom-coe-collaborates-with-start-ups-to-enhance-healthcare-with-ai-iot-458739-2024-12-27 
• https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/in/Documents/risk/in-ra-deloitte-dsci-hospital-report-noexp.pdf ‍
• https://medium.com/@shibilahammad/the-transformative-potential-of-iot-and-ai-in-healthcare-78a8c7b4eca1

Introduction

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a process through which one can improve website visibility on search engine platforms like Google, Microsoft Bing, etc. There is an implicit understanding that SEO suggestions or the links that are generated on top are the more popular information sources and, hence, are deemed to be more trustworthy. This trust, however, is being misused by threat actors through a process called SEO poisoning.

SEO poisoning is a method used by threat actors to attack and obtain information about the user by using manipulative methods that position their desired link, web page, etc to appear at the top of the search engine algorithm. The end goal is to lure the user into clicking and downloading their malware, presented in the garb of legitimate marketing or even as a valid result for Google search.

An active example of attempts at SEO poisoning has been discussed in a report by the Hindustan Times on 11th November, 2024. It highlights that using certain keywords could make a user more susceptible to hacking. Hackers are now targeting people who enter specific words or specific combinations in search engines. According to the report, users who looked up and clicked on links at the top related to the search query “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” had details regarding their personal information posted online soon after.

SEO Poisoning - Modus Operandi Of Attack

There are certain tactics that are used by the attackers on SEO poisoning, these are:

• Keyword stuffing- This method involves overloading a webpage with irrelevant words, which helps the false website appear higher in ranking.
• Typosquatting- This method involves creating domain names or links similar to the more popular and trusted websites. A lack of scrutiny before clicking would lead the user to download malware, from what they thought was a legitimate site.
• Cloaking- This method operates by showing different content to both the search engines and the user. While the search engine sees what it assumes to be a legitimate website, the user is exposed to harmful content.
• Private Link Networks- Threat actors create a group of unrelated websites in order to increase the number of referral links, which enables them to rank higher on search engine platforms.
• Article Spinning- This method involves imitating content from other pre-existing, legitimate websites, while making a few minor changes, giving the impression to search engine crawlers of it being original content.
• Sneaky Redirect- This method redirects the users to malicious websites (without their knowledge) instead of the ones the user had intended to click.

CyberPeace Recommendations

• Employee Security Awareness Training: Security awareness training can help employees familiarise themselves with tactics of SEO poisoning, encouraging them to either spot such inconsistencies early on or even alert the security team at the earliest. 
• Tool usage: Companies can use Digital Risk Monitoring tools to catch instances of typosquatting. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools also help keep an eye on client history and assess user activities during security breaches to figure out the source of the affected file.
• Internal Security Measures: To refer to lists of Indicators of Compromise (IOC). IOC has URL lists that show evidence of the strange behaviour of websites, and this can be used to practice caution. Deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to mitigate and detect malicious traffic is helpful.

Conclusion

The nature of SEO poisoning is such that it inherently promotes the spread of misinformation, and facilitates cyberattacks. Misinformation regarding the legitimacy of the links and the content they display, in order to lure users into clicking on them, puts personal information under threat. As people trust their favoured search engines, and there is a lack of awareness of such tactics in use, one must exercise caution while clicking on links that seem to be popular, despite them being hosted by trusted search engines.

References

• https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/cyber-security/what-is-cyber-attack/what-is-seo-poisoning/
• https://www.vectra.ai/topics/seo-poisoning
• https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/search-poisoning
• https://www.blackberry.com/us/en/solutions/endpoint-security/ransomware-protection/seo-poisoning
• https://www.coalitioninc.com/blog/seo-poisoning-attacks
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160791X24000186
• https://www.repindia.com/blog/secure-your-organisation-from-seo-poisoning-and-malvertising-threats/ 
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/typing-these-6-words-on-google-could-make-you-a-target-for-hackers-101731286153415.html

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Introduction

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In today’s digital era, warfare is being redefined. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently stated that “we are in the age of Grey Zone and hybrid warfare where cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and economic warfare have become tools to achieve politico-military aims without a single shot being fired.” The crippling cyberattacks on Estonia in 2007, Russia’s interference in the 2016 US elections, and the ransomware strike on the Colonial Pipeline in the United States in 2021 all demonstrate how states are now using cyberspace to achieve strategic goals while carefully circumventing the threshold of open war.

Legal Complexities: Attribution, Response, and Accountability

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Grey zone warfare challenges the traditional notions of security and international conventions on peace due to inherent challenges such as :

• Attribution
  The first challenge in cyber warfare is determining who is responsible. Threat actors hide behind rented botnets, fake IP addresses, and servers scattered across the globe. Investigators can follow digital trails, but those trails often point to machines, not people. That makes attribution more of an educated guess than a certainty. A wrong guess could lead to misattribution of blame, which could beget a diplomatic crisis, or worse, a military one.
• Proportional Response
  Even if attribution is clear, designing a response can be a challenge. International law does give room for countermeasures if they are both ‘necessary’ and ‘proportionate’. But defining these qualifiers can be a long-drawn, contested process. Effectively, governments employ softer measures such as protests or sanctions, tighten their cyber defences or, in extreme cases, strike back digitally.
• Accountability
  States can be held responsible for waging cyber attacks under the UN’s Draft Articles on State Responsibility. But these are non-binding and enforcement depends on collective pressure, which can be slow and inconsistent. In cyberspace, accountability often ends up being more symbolic than real, leaving plenty of room for repeat offences.

International and Indian Legal Frameworks

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Cyber law is a step behind cyber warfare since existing international frameworks are often inadequate. For example, the Tallinn Manual 2.0, the closest thing we have to a rulebook for cyber conflict, is just a set of guidelines. It says that if a cyber operation can be tied to a state, even through hired hackers or proxies, then that state can be held responsible. But attribution is a major challenge. Similarly, the United Nations has tried to build order through its Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) that promotes norms like “don’t attack. However, these norms are not binding, effectively leaving practice to diplomacy and trust.

India is susceptible to routine attacks from hostile actors, but does not yet have a dedicated cyber warfare law.  While Section 66F of the IT ACT, 2000, talks about cyber terrorism, and Section 75 lets Indian courts examine crimes committed abroad if they impact India,  grey-zone tactics like fake news campaigns, election meddling, and influence operations fall into a legal vacuum.

Way Forward

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• Strengthen International Cooperation
  Frameworks like the Tallinn Manual 2.0 can form the basis for future treaties. Bilateral and multilateral agreements between countries are essential to ensure accountability and cooperation in tackling grey zone activities.
• Develop Grey Zone Legislation
  India currently relies on the IT Act, 2000, but this law needs expansion to specifically cover grey zone tactics such as election interference, propaganda, and large-scale disinformation campaigns.
• Establish Active Monitoring Systems
  India must create robust early detection systems to identify grey zone operations in cyberspace. Agencies can coordinate with social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube, which are often exploited for propaganda and disinformation, to improve monitoring frameworks.
• Dedicated Theatre Commands for Cyber Operations
  Along with the existing Defence Cyber Agency, India should consider specialised theatre commands for grey zone and cyber warfare. This would optimise resources, enhance coordination, and ensure unified command in dealing with hybrid threats.

Conclusion

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Grey zone warfare in cyberspace is no longer an optional tactic used by threat actors but a routine activity. India lacks the early detection systems, robust infrastructure, and strong cyber laws to counter grey-zone warfare. To counter this, India needs sharper attribution tools for early detection and must actively push for stronger international rules in this global landscape. More importantly, instead of merely blaming without clear plans, India should focus on preparing for solid retaliation strategies. By doing so, India can also learn to use cyberspace strategically to achieve politico-military aims without firing a single shot.

References

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• Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations (Michael N. Schmitt)
• UN Document on International Law in Cyberspace (UN Digital Library)
• NATO Cyber Defence Policy
• Texas Law Review: State Responsibility and Attribution of Cyber Intrusions
• Deccan Herald: Defence Minister on Grey Zone Warfare
• VisionIAS: Grey Zone Warfare
• Sachin Tiwari, The Reality of Cyber Operations in the Grey Zone

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