#FactCheck-9/11 Footage Falsely Shared as Iran’s Attack on Israel
Executive Summary
A video showing people running amid smoke and chaos during an attack is being widely shared on social media with the claim that it depicts an Iranian strike on Israel. The clip, around 29 seconds long, shows thick black smoke rising as people flee the scene, with voices heard calling for help. However, research by the CyberPeace found that the claim is misleading. The video is actually from the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in the United States.
Claim:
The video has been shared on Facebook with a caption claiming, “Iran has launched its most powerful attack on Israel. Thousands of soldiers have reportedly been killed. Massive protests have erupted within the country, and Israel appears completely helpless.”
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we conducted a reverse image search using keyframes from the viral video. This led us to a longer version of the same footage uploaded on YouTube on September 11, 2016.
The relevant portion appears around the 2-minute 9-second mark. The video description identifies the footage as part of the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Further, we found the same video in an archive folder on a website associated with the US Department of Commerce, which contains multiple images and videos related to the 9/11 attacks. This further confirms the origin of the footage.
Conclusion:
The viral claim is false. The video does not show an Iranian attack on Israel. It is from September 2001 and depicts the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks in New York, USA.
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Executive Summary
Last September, protests were held in Ladakh over several demands, including full statehood, extension of Sixth Schedule protections, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and reservation in jobs. During that period, some demonstrations turned violent. Since then, talks between stakeholders and the government have continued regarding these demands. Amid this backdrop, Pakistani propaganda handles on social media are sharing a video of a protest and claiming that violent demonstrations have erupted in Ladakh following the arrest of education reformer Sonam Wangchuk. CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be misleading. The claim regarding Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is false, while the viral video is actually from protests that took place in September last year.
Claim:
Sharing the video, a user wrote: “Massive protests in Ladakh. Violent demonstrations have erupted after reports of the arrest of Ladakh’s revolutionary leader Sonam Wangchuk. The people of Ladakh seek justice and freedom from the Indian Army, which is attacking civilians.”
https://x.com/ZardSi/status/2064204063248695393?s=20
Fact Check:
Our research found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is from protests held in September last year, and the claim that Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested is also false. We first converted the video into keyframes and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to several videos and news reports covering the same incident. The viral footage was found in a news report uploaded on September 24, 2025, by Asianet News English on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/@asianetnewsenglish
According to the information provided with the video, large-scale protests took place in Leh in support of demands for Sixth Schedule status and full statehood for Ladakh. The movement turned violent following clashes with police, and protesters allegedly set fire to a BJP office in Leh. CRPF personnel and local police later detained several protesters, bringing the situation under control. We also found a report published by Arunachal24, which stated that at least four people were killed and more than 70 injured in violent clashes between protesters demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh and security forces. The report further mentioned that protesters set fire to a local BJP office and a CRPF vehicle, following which authorities imposed a strict curfew across Leh.
Our team also found that the claim about Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is entirely false. Wangchuk remains active on social media and had posted an update on June 10, indicating that he had not been detained.
Conclusion:
The fact-check clearly shows that the viral claim is misleading. There is no evidence that Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested. The viral video is not recent and actually shows protests that took place in Ladakh in September 2025.
Executive Summary:
In recent times an image showing the President of AIMIM, Asaduddin Owaisi holding a portrait of Hindu deity Lord Rama, has gone viral on different social media platforms. After conducting a reverse image search, CyberPeace Research Team then found that the picture was fake. The screenshot of the Facebook post made by Asaduddin Owaisi in 2018 reveals him holding Ambedkar’s picture. But the photo which has been morphed shows Asaduddin Owaisi holding a picture of Lord Rama with a distorted message gives totally different connotations in the political realm because in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Asaduddin Owaisi is a candidate from Hyderabad. This means there is a need to ensure that before sharing any information one must check it is original in order to eliminate fake news.
Claims:
AIMIM Party leader Asaduddin Owaisi standing with the painting of Hindu god Rama and the caption that reads his interest towards Hindu religion.
Fact Check:
In order to investigate the posts, we ran a reverse search of the image. We identified a photo that was shared on the official Facebook wall of the AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on 7th April 2018.
Comparing the two photos we found that the painting Asaduddin Owaisi is holding is of B.R Ambedkar whereas the viral image is of Lord Rama, and the original photo was posted in the year 2018.
Hence, it was concluded that the viral image was digitally modified to spread false propaganda.
Conclusion:
The photograph of AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi holding up one painting of Lord Rama is fake as it has been morphed. The photo that Asaduddin Owaisi uploaded on a Facebook page on 7 Apr 2018 depicted him holding a picture of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. This photograph was digitally altered and the false captions were written to give an altogether different message of Asaduddin Owaisi. It has even highlighted the necessity of fighting fake news that has spread widely through social media platforms especially during the political realm.
- Claim: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi was holding a painting of the Hindu god Lord Rama in his hand.
- Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter)
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Disclaimer:
The information is based on claims made by threat actors and does not imply confirmation of the breach, by CyberPeace. CyberPeace includes this detail solely to provide factual transparency and does not condone any unlawful activities. This information is shared only for research purposes and to spread awareness. CyberPeace encourages individuals and organizations to adopt proactive cybersecurity measures to protect against potential threats.
🚨 Data Breach Alert ⚠️:
Recently The Research Wing of CyberPeace and Autobot Infosec have come across a claim on a threat actor’s dark web website alleging a data breach involving 637k+ records from Federal Bank. According to the threat actor’s claim, the data allegedly includes sensitive details such as-
- 🧑Customer Name
- 🆔Customer ID
- 🏠 Customer Address
- 🎂 Date of Birth
- 🔢 Age
- 🚻 Gender
- 📞Mobile Number
- 🪪 PAN Number
- 🚘 Driving License Number
- 🛂 Passport Number
- 🔑 UID Number
- 🗳️ Voter ID Information
The alleged data was initially discovered on a dark web website, where the threat actors allegedly claimed to be offering the breached information for sale. Following their announcement of the breach, a portion of the data was reportedly published on December 27, 2024. A few days later, the full dataset was allegedly released on the same forum.
About the Threat Actor Group:
Bashe, a ransomware group that emerged in 2024, is claimed to have evolved from the LockBit ransomware group, previously operating under the names APT73 and Eraleig. The group employs data encryption combined with extortion tactics, threatening to release sensitive information if ransom demands are unmet. Their operations primarily target critical industries, including technology, healthcare, and finance, demonstrating a strategic focus on high-value sectors.
Breakdown of the Alleged Post by the Threat Actor:
- Target: Allegedly involves Customer’s Data of Federal Bank.
- Data Volume: Claimed breach includes 637,894 records.
- Data Fields: Threat actor claims the data contains sensitive information, including Customer name, Customer ID, Date of Birth, PAN Number, Age, Gender, Father Name, Spouse Name, Driving Licence, Passport Number, UID Number, Voter ID, District, Zip Code, Home Address, Mailing Address, State etc.
Analysis:
The analysis of the alleged data breach highlights the states purportedly most impacted, along with insights into the affected age groups, gender distribution, and other key insights associated with the compromised data. This evaluation aims to provide a clearer understanding of the claimed breach's scope and its potential demographic and geographic impact.
Top States Impacted:
As per the alleged breached data, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of affected customers, accounting for a significant 34.49% of the total breach. Karnataka follows closely with 26.89%, indicating a substantial number of individuals affected in the state. In contrast states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan report minimal impact, with each state having less than 1% of affected customers. Gujarat records 3.70% of the breach, with a sharp drop in affected numbers from other states, highlighting a significant disparity in the extent of the breach across regions.
Impacted Age Range Statistics:
The alleged data breach has predominantly impacted customers in the 31-40 years age group, which constitutes the largest segment at 35.80% of the affected individuals. Following this, the 21-30 years age group also shows significant impact, comprising 27.72% of those affected. The 41-50 years age group accounts for 20.55% of the impacted population, while individuals aged 50 and above represent 12.68%. In contrast, the 0-20 years age group is the least affected, with only 3.24% of customers falling into this category.
Gender Wise Statistics:
The alleged data breach has predominantly impacted male customers, who constitute the majority at 74.05% of the affected individuals. Female customers account for 23.18%, while a smaller segment, categorized as "Others," constitutes 2.77%.
The alleged dataset from the threat actors indicated that a significant portion of customers' personal identification data was compromised. This includes sensitive information such as driving licenses, passport numbers, UID numbers, voter IDs, and PAN numbers.
Significance of the Allegations:
Though the claims have not been independently verified at our end it underscores the rising risks of cyberattacks and data breaches, especially in the financial and banking sectors. If true, the exposure of such sensitive information could lead to financial fraud, identity theft, and severe reputational damage for individuals and organizations alike.
CyberPeace Advisory:
CyberPeace emphasizes the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to address cybersecurity risks:
- Monitor Your Accounts: Keep a close eye on financial and email accounts for any suspicious activity.
- Update Passwords: Change your passwords immediately and enable Multi Factor Authentication(MFA) wherever possible.
- Beware of Phishing Attacks: Threat actors may exploit the leaked data to craft targeted phishing scams. Do not click on unsolicited links or share sensitive details over email or phone.
- For Organizations: Strengthen data protection mechanisms, regularly audit security infrastructure, and respond swiftly to emerging threats.
- Report: For more assistance or to report cyber incidents, visit https://cybercrime.gov.in or contact our helpline team at helpline@cyberpeace.net.
We advise affected parties and the broader public to stay alert and take necessary precautions. CyberPeace remains committed to raising awareness about cybersecurity threats and advocating for better protection mechanisms. We urge all stakeholders to investigate the claims and ensure appropriate steps are taken to protect the impacted data, if the breach is confirmed. Our Research Wing is actively observing the situation and we aim to collaborate with the stakeholders and relevant agencies to mitigate the impact.
Stay Vigilant! Stay CyberPeaceful.
