#FactCheck -AI-Generated Crowd Video Falsely Tied to Epstein Files Release

2025 is knocking firmly at our door and we have promises to make and resolutions to keep. Time you make your list for the New Year and check it twice.

• Lifestyle targets 🡪 Check
• Family targets 🡪 Check
• Social targets 🡪 Check

Umm, so far so good, but what about your cybersecurity targets for the year? Hey, you look confused and concerned. Wait a minute, you do not have one, do you?

I get it. Though the digital world still puzzles, and sometimes outright scares us, we still are not in the ‘Take-Charge-Of-Your-Digital-Safety Mode. We prefer to depend on whatever software security we are using and keep our fingers crossed that the bad guys (read threat actors) do not find us.

Let me illustrate why cybersecurity should be one of your top priorities. You know that stress is a major threat to our continued good health, right? However, if your devices, social media accounts, office e-mail or network, or God forbid, bank accounts become compromised, would that not cause stress? Think about it and the probable repercussions and you will comprehend why I am harping on prioritising security.

Fret not. We will keep it brief as we well know you have 101 things to do in the next few days leading up to 01/01/2025. Just add cyber health to the list and put in motion the following:

• Install and activate comprehensive security software on ALL internet-enabled devices you have at home. Yes, including your smartphones.
• Set yourself a date to change and create separate unique passwords for all accounts. Or use the password manager that comes with all reputed security software to make life simpler.
• Keep home Wi-Fi turned off at night
• Do not set social media accounts to auto-download photos/documents
• Activate parental controls on all the devices used by your children to monitor and mentor them. But keep them apprised.
• Do not blindly trust anyone or anything online – this includes videos, speeches, emails, voice calls, and video calls. Be aware of fakes.
• Be aware of the latest threats and talk about unsafe cyber practices and behaviour often at home.

Short and sweet, as promised.

We will be back, with more tips, and answers to your queries. Drop us a line anytime, and we will be happy to resolve your doubts.

Ciao!

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Introduction

The ramifications of cybercrime can be far-reaching. Depending on the size of the attack, even entire countries can be affected if their critical infrastructure is connected to the internet. The vast majority of security breaches start within the perimeter and most internet attacks are socially engineered. Unwittingly trusting any email or web request from an unknown sender creates a potential danger for those organisations that depend on the Internet for their business functions. In this ever-evolving digital downtown yet another group has emerged from its darkest corners of targeting the UK’s very bastion of British and global heritage; a treasure trove of around 14 million volumes, ancient manuscripts, in the precious British Library. A group self-identified as Rhysida. Their bold maneuver, executed with the stealth of seasoned cyber brigands, has cast a shadow as long and dark as those found in the Gothic novels that rest on the library's shelves. The late October cyber-attack has thrust the British Library into an unnerving state of chaos, a situation more commonly aligned with works of dystopian fiction than the everyday reality of a revered institution.

The Modus Operandi

The gang uses all-new Rhysida ransomware to jeopardize Virtual Private Networks, which is typically used by library staff to gain access to their employee’s systems remotely. The Ransomware presents itself as a regular decoy file in a familiar fashion as regular phishing attacks in an email, tricking its victim and downloading itself into the host system.  Once the malware enters the system it stays dormant and lurks around the system for a period of time. The new malware has significantly reduced the dwell time from 4 days to less than 24 hours which enables it to evade periodic system checks to avoid detection.

 Implications of Cyber Attack

Implications of the cyber-attack have been sobering and multifaceted. The library's systems, which serve as the lifeline for countless scholars, students, and the reading public, were left in disarray, unsettlingly reminiscent of a grand mansion invaded by incorporeal thieves. The violation has reverberated through the digital corridors of this once-impenetrable fortress, and the virtual aftershocks are ongoing. Patrons, who traverse a diverse spectrum of society, but share a common reverence for knowledge, received unsettling news: the possibility that their private data has been compromised—a sanctity breached, revealing yet again how even the most hallowed of spaces are not impervious to modern threats.

It is with no small sense of irony that we consider the nature of the stolen goods—names, email addresses, and the like. It is not the physical tomes of inestimable value that have been ransacked, but rather the digital footprints of those who sought the wisdom within the library's walls. This virtual Pandora's Box, now unleashed onto the dark web, has been tagged with a monetary value. Rhysida has set the ominous asking price of a staggering $740,000 worth of cryptocurrency for the compromised data, flaunting their theft with a hubris that chills the spine.

Yet, in this convoluted narrative unfolds a subplot that offers some measure of consolation. Payment information purports the library has not been included in this digital heist, offering a glint of reassurance amidst the prevailing uncertainty. This digital storm has had seismic repercussions: the library's website and interconnected systems have been besieged and access to the vast resources significantly hampered. The distressing notice of a 'major technology outage' transformed the digital facade from a portal for endless learning to a bulletin of sorrow, projecting the sombre message across virtual space.

The Impact

The impact of this violation will resonate far beyond the mere disruption of services; it signals the dawn of an era where venerable institutions of culture and learning must navigate the depths of cybersecurity. As the library grapples with the breach, a new front has opened in the age-old battle for the preservation of knowledge. The continuity of such an institution in a digitised world will be tested, and the outcome will define the future of digital heritage management. As the institution rallies, led by Roly Keating, its Chief Executive, one observes not a defeatist retreat, but a stoic, strategic regrouping. Gratitude is extended to patrons and partners whose patience has become as vital a resource as the knowledge the library preserves. The reassurances given, while acknowledging the laborious task ahead, signal not just an intention to repair but to fortify, to adapt, to evolve amidst adversity.

This wretched turn of events serves as a portentous reminder that threats to our most sacred spaces have transformed. The digital revolution has indeed democratised knowledge but has also exposed it to neoteric threats. The British Library, a repository of the past, must now confront a distinctly modern adversary. It requires us to posit whether our contemporary guardians of history are equipped to combat those who wield malicious code as their weapons of choice.

Best Practices for Cyber Resilience 

It is crucial to keep abreast with recent developments in cyberspace and emerging trends. Libraries in the digital age must ensure the protection of their patron’s data by applying comprehensive security protocols to safeguard the integrity, availability and confidentiality of sensitive information of their patrons. A few measures that can be applied by libraries include. 

• Secured Wi-Fi networks: Libraries offering public Wi-Fi facilities must secure them with strong encryption protocols such as WPA 3. Libraries should establish separate networks for internal operations allowing separation of staff and public networks to protect sensitive information. 
• Staff Training Programs: To avoid human error it is imperative that comprehensive training programs are conducted on a regular basis to generate greater awareness of cyber threats among staff and educate them about best practices of cyber hygiene and data security. 
• Data Backups and Recovery Protocols: Patrons' sensitive data should be updated and backed up regularly. Proper verification of the user’s data integrity is crucial and should be stored securely in a dedicated repository to ensure full recovery of the user’s data in the event of a breach. 
• Strong Authentication: Strong authentication to enhance library defenses is crucial to combat cyber threats. Staff and Patrons should be educated on strong password usage and the implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication to add an extra layer of security. 

Conclusion

Finally, whatever the future holds, what remains unassailable is the cultural edifice that is the British Library. Its trials and tribulations, like those of the volumes it safeguards, become a part of a larger narrative of endurance and defiance. In the canon of history—filled with conflicts and resolutions—the library, like the lighter anecdotes and tragic tales it harbours, will decidedly hold its place. And perhaps, with some assurance, we might glean from the sentiment voiced by Milton—an assurance that the path from turmoil to enlightenment, though fraught with strenuous challenges, is paved with lessons learned and resilience rediscovered. Cyberspace is constantly evolving hence it is in our best interest to keep abreast of all developments in this digital sphere. Maximum threats can be avoided if we are vigilant. 

 References:

• https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67544504

Executive Summary

A postcard claiming that Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya commented on the Supreme Court’s stay on the new UGC regulations is being widely shared on social media. The viral postcard suggests that Maurya stated the Modi government would “fight till its last breath” to implement the UGC law and appealed to Dalit, backward and tribal communities to trust the government as their true well-wisher. However, an research by the CyberPeace has found that the viral postcard is fake. Keshav Prasad Maurya has not made any such statement.

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Claim

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A Facebook user shared the postcard with the caption:“Now read it yourself. Statement of Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya — the Modi government will fight till its last breath to implement the UGC law. An appeal to Dalit, backward and tribal communities to trust the government, calling it their true well-wisher.”

(Archived version of the post available here.)

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/yogiadityanathf/posts/1565894657968506/ 
• https://archive.is/ljnlD 

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Fact Check:

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During the research, we did not find any credible news reports mentioning such a statement by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya regarding the UGC regulations or the Supreme Court’s order. A closer examination of the viral postcard revealed several inconsistencies. Notably, the text on the postcard lacks proper punctuation, such as commas and full stops, which is unusual for professionally designed news graphics. The postcard carries the logo of Navbharat Times (NBT). However, when compared with genuine NBT postcards, the font style used in the viral image does not match NBT’s official design. We also traced the original NBT postcard that appears to have been edited to create the fake one. In the authentic postcard, shared by NBT on January 20, Keshav Prasad Maurya is quoted as saying: Where the lotus has bloomed, it will continue to bloom, and where it has not, under the guidance of PM Modi and the leadership of Nitin Nabin, the lotus will bloom.”

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The original statement was digitally altered, and a fabricated quote was inserted to create the viral postcard.

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Conclusion

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CyberPeace research clearly establishes that the viral postcard is fake. The original Navbharat Times postcard has been tampered with, and Keshav Prasad Maurya’s actual statement has been replaced with a fabricated quote, which is now being circulated with a misleading claim.

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