#FactCheck-AI-Generated Video Falsely Shows Samay Raina Making a Joke on Rekha

Introduction

Cyber financial offences in India have experienced an alarming surge both in terms of frequency and complexity. Be it phishing attacks or organised fraud syndicates, the nation has been facing a spurt in online financial threats, which leave the victims at their mercy because of procedural lags on the part of law enforcement agencies. To counter this, the Government of India has stepped up measures to create a Cyber-Secure Bharat, focusing on speedy resolution, accountability, and digital empowerment. A key move in this direction is the introduction of the e-Zero FIR initiative, brought forth by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the helm. This newly developed digital-first system is expected to revolutionise the way cyber financial crimes, particularly those that result in high monetary losses, are handled and investigated.

What Is the e-Zero FIR Initiative?

The e-Zero FIR program is a technology-based platform that enables the automated registration of Zero FIRs for value cyber financial crimes. Led by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, the programme is now piloted in Delhi and aims to fill a pressing lacuna: the time lag involved in transitioning cybercrime complaints to First Information Reports (FIRs).

Complaints of financial frauds worth more than ₹10 lakh, reported through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or helpline number 1930, will be automatically turned into e-Zero FIRs under this scheme. Such electronic FIRs are directed to the e-Crime Police Station in Delhi, regardless of jurisdiction, and then relayed to the corresponding territorial cybercrime unit. Complainants can visit the cybercrime Police Station within 3 days and get the Zero FIR converted into a regular FIR.

Key Features of the Initiative

1. Pilot Implementation in Delhi

Launched as a pilot project in Delhi, it will later serve as the first use case for the national rollout. The success of the pilot will determine its implementation in other states and Union Territories.

2. Seamless Digital Integration

The project provides strong back-end integration between:

• NCRP (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal)
• e-FIR System (Delhi Police)
• CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems – NCRB)

This integrated model enables complaints to pass smoothly between platforms and agencies.

3. Zero FIR Auto-Registration and Routing

Now, for complaints lodged through 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal related to financial losses exceeding the threshold of ₹10 lakh, the system will automatically register a Zero FIR to the e-Crime Police Station of Delhi and then route it to the concerned territorial cybercrime police station, triggering immediate case processing.

4. Victim-Centric Conversion Mechanism

Complainants are given 3 days from the time of filing to physically report to the police station and transform the e-Zero FIR into a conventional regular FIR under Section 173 (1) and 1(ii) of the newly enacted Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). This ensures legal redress is quicker and easier.

Impact and Significance: The CyberPeace View

The e-Zero FIR system is a significant change in India's cybercrime enforcement, offering quicker response times and improved recovery opportunities. Cyber fraud reported within the "golden hour" can boost recovery levels of financial fraud. The system also eliminates jurisdictional barriers and procedural bottlenecks, making it more victim-friendly. Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised the initiative's alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a digitally resilient India. The system is a scalable national model of tech-based policing supported by organised digital workflows. The initiative allows for real-time analysis of fraud graphs and detection of fraud syndicates through identification and device-based clustering. This is a step towards more automated, context-aware cyber policing, focusing on AI, identity graphs, and velocity to prevent crimes. The system is a step towards a next-generation cyber law enforcement strategy, focusing on AI, identity graphs, and velocity.

Conclusion

The roll-out of the e-Zero FIR program is a turning point in India's battle against cybercrime. By marrying automation with inter-agency coordination and easy-to-use mechanisms, the government has eradicated one of the major stumbling blocks for victims, the delay in taking legal action. Though its pilot phase targets high-value financial frauds in Delhi, its potential for having a countrywide impact is vast. With digital transactions on the upswing and frauds getting more cunning, efforts like these are the key to making a safe, responsive, and victim-centric cyber environment. CyberPeace commends and welcomes this important move towards establishing a Cyber-Secure Bharat, wherein all citizens can make digital transactions with confidence.

References

• https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2129715
• https://www.mha.gov.in/en
• https://cybercrime.gov.in/
• https://www.ncrb.gov.in/
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/save/new-e-zero-fir-govt-launches-pilot-for-swift-action-against-cybercrimes-how-it-can-help-you/articleshow/121314437.cms?from=mdr

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Introduction 

The pervasive issue of misinformation in India is a multifaceted challenge with profound implications for democratic processes, public awareness, and social harmony. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken measures to counter misinformation during the 2024 elections. ECI has launched campaigns to educate people and urge them to verify election-related content and share responsibly on social media. In response to the proliferation of fake news and misinformation online, the ECI has introduced initiatives such as ‘Myth vs. Reality’ and  'VerifyBeforeYouAmplify' to clear the air around fake news being spread on social media. EC measures aim to ensure that the spread of misinformation is curbed, especially during election time, when voters consume a lot of information from social media. It is of the utmost importance that voters take in facts and reliable information and avoid any manipulative or fake information that can negatively impact the election process. 

EC Collaboration with Tech Platforms

In this new age of technology, the Internet and social media continue to witness a surge in the spread of misinformation, disinformation, synthetic media content, and deepfake videos. This has rightly raised serious concerns. The responsible use of social media is instrumental in maintaining the accuracy of information and curbing misinformation incidents. 

The ECI has collaborated with Google to empower the citizenry by making it easy to find critical voting information on Google Search and YouTube. In this way, Google supports the 2024 Indian General Election by providing high-quality information to voters, safeguarding platforms from abuse, and helping people navigate AI-generated content. The company connects voters to helpful information through product features that show data from trusted organisations across its portfolio. YouTube showcases election information panels, including how to register to vote, how to vote, and candidate information. YouTube's recommendation system prominently features content from authority sources on the homepage, in search results, and in the "Up Next" panel. YouTube highlights high-quality content from authoritative news sources during key moments through its Top News and Breaking News shelves, as well as the news watch page. 

Google has also implemented strict policies and restrictions regarding who can run election-related advertising campaigns on its platforms. They require all advertisers who wish to run election ads to undergo an identity verification process, provide a pre-certificate issued by the ECI or anyone authorised by the ECI for each election ad they want to run where necessary, and have in-ad disclosures that clearly show who paid for the ad. Additionally, they have long-standing ad policies that prohibit ads from promoting demonstrably false claims that could undermine trust or participation in elections.

CyberPeace Countering Misinformation

CyberPeace Foundation, a leading organisation in the field of cybersecurity works to promote digital peace for all. CyberPeace is working on the wider ecosystem to counter misinformation and develop a safer and more responsible Internet. CyberPeace has collaborated with Google.org to run a pan-India awareness-building program and comprehensive multilingual digital resource hub with content available in up to 15 Indian languages to empower over 40 million netizens in building resilience against misinformation and practising responsible online behaviour. This step is crucial in creating a strong foundation for a trustworthy  Internet and secure digital landscape.  

Myth vs Reality Register by ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the 'Myth vs Reality Register' to combat misinformation and ensure the integrity of the electoral process during the general elections 2024. The 'Myth vs Reality Register' can be accessed through the Election Commission's official website (https://mythvsreality.eci.gov.in/). All stakeholders are urged to verify and corroborate any dubious information they receive through any channel with the information provided in the register. The register provides a one-stop platform for credible and authenticated election-related information, with the factual matrix regularly updated to include the latest busted fakes and fresh FAQs. The ECI has identified misinformation as one of the challenges, along with money, muscle, and Model Code of Conduct violations, for electoral integrity. The platform can be used to verify information, prevent the spread of misinformation, debunk myths, and stay informed about key issues during the General Elections 2024.

The ECI has taken proactive steps to combat the challenge of misinformation which could cripple the democratic process. EC has issued directives urging vigilance and responsibility from all stakeholders, including political parties, to verify information before amplifying it. The EC has also urged responsible behaviour on social media platforms and discourse that inspires unity rather than division. The commission has stated that originators of false information will face severe consequences, and nodal officers across states will remove unlawful content. Parties are encouraged to engage in issue-based campaigning and refrain from disseminating unverified or misleading advertisements.

Conclusion

The steps taken by the ECI have been designed to empower citizens and help them affirm the accuracy and authenticity of content before amplifying it. All citizens must be well-educated about the entire election process in India. This includes information on how the electoral rolls are made, how candidates are monitored, a complete database of candidates and candidate backgrounds, party manifestos, etc. For informed decision-making, active reading and seeking information from authentic sources is imperative. The partnership between government agencies, tech platforms and civil societies helps develop strategies to counter the widespread misinformation and promote online safety in general, and electoral integrity in particular. 

References 

• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2017375

• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2016941#:~:text=To%20combat%20the%20spread%20of,the%20ongoing%20General%20Elections%202024
• https://www.business-standard.com/elections/lok-sabha-election/ls-elections-2024-ec-uses-social-media-to-nudge-electors-to-vote-124040700429_1.html
• https://blog.google/intl/en-in/company-news/outreach-initiatives/supporting-the-2024-indian-general-election/
• https://blog.google/intl/en-in/partnering-indias-success-in-a-new-digital-paradigm/

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Introduction

In the labyrinthine world of cybersecurity, a new spectre has emerged from the digital ether, casting a long shadow over the seemingly impregnable orchards of Apple's macOS. This phantom, known as SpectralBlur, is a backdoor so cunningly crafted that it remained shrouded in the obscurity of cyberspace, undetected by the vigilant eyes of antivirus software until its recent unmasking. The discovery of SpectralBlur is not just a tale of technological intrigue but a narrative that weaves together the threads of geopolitical manoeuvring, the relentless pursuit of digital supremacy, and the ever-evolving landscape of cyber warfare.

SpectralBlur, a term that conjures images of ghostly interference and elusive threats, is indeed a fitting moniker for this new macOS backdoor threat. Cybersecurity researchers have peeled back the layers of the digital onion to reveal a moderately capable backdoor that can upload and download files, execute shell commands, update its configuration, delete files, and enter states of hibernation or sleep, all at the behest of a remote command-and-control server. Greg Lesnewich, a security researcher whose name has become synonymous with the relentless pursuit of digital malefactors, has shed light on this new threat that overlaps with a known malware family attributed to the enigmatic North Korean threat actors.

SpectralBlur similar to Lazarus Group’s KANDYKORN

The malware shares its DNA with KANDYKORN, also known as SockRacket, an advanced implant that functions as a remote access trojan capable of taking control of a compromised host. It is a digital puppeteer, pulling the strings of infected systems with a malevolent grace. The KANDYKORN activity also intersects with another campaign orchestrated by the Lazarus sub-group known as BlueNoroff, or TA444, which culminates in the deployment of a backdoor referred to as RustBucket and a late-stage payload dubbed ObjCShellz.

Recently, the threat actor has been observed combining disparate pieces of these two infection chains, leveraging RustBucket droppers to deliver KANDYKORN. This latest finding is another sign that North Korean threat actors are increasingly setting their sights on macOS to infiltrate high-value targets, particularly those within the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. 'TA444 keeps running fast and furious with these new macOS malware families,' Lesnewich remarked, painting a picture of a relentless adversary in the digital realm.

Patrick Wardle, a security researcher whose insights into the inner workings of SpectralBlur have further illuminated the threat landscape, noted that the Mach-O binary was uploaded to the VirusTotal malware scanning service in August 2023 from Colombia. The functional similarities between KANDYKORN and SpectralBlur have raised the possibility that they may have been built by different developers with the same requirements. What makes the malware stand out are its attempts to hinder analysis and evade detection while using grant to set up a pseudo-terminal and execute shell commands received from the C2 server.

The disclosure comes as 21 new malware families designed to target macOS systems, including ransomware, information stealers, remote access trojans, and nation-state-backed malware, were discovered in 2023, up from 13 identified in 2022. 'With the continued growth and popularity of macOS (especially in the enterprise!), 2024 will surely bring a bevvy of new macOS malware,' Wardle noted, his words a harbinger of the digital storms on the horizon.

Hackers are beefing up their efforts to go after the best MacBooks as security researchers have discovered a brand new macOS backdoor which appears to have ties to another recently identified Mac malware strain. As reported by Security Week, this new Mac malware has been dubbed SpectralBlur and although it was uploaded to VirusTotal back in August of last year, it remained undetected by the best antivirus software until it recently caught the attention of Proofpoint’s Greg Lesnewich.

Lesnewich explained that SpectralBlur has similar capabilities to other backdoors as it can upload and download files, delete files and hibernate or sleep when given commands from a hacker-controlled command-and-control (C2) server. What is surprising about this new Mac malware strain though is that it shares similarities to the KandyKorn macOS backdoor which was created by the infamous North Korean hacking group Lazarus.

Just like SpectralBlur, KandyKorn is designed to evade detection while providing the hackers behind it with the ability to monitor and control infected Macs. Although different, these two Mac malware strains appear to be built based on the same requirements. Once installed on a vulnerable Mac, SpectralBlur executes a function that allows it to decrypt and encrypt network traffic to help it avoid being detected. However, it can also erase files after opening them and then overwrite the data they contain with zeros..

How to keep your Apple computers safe from hackers

As with the best iPhones, keeping your Mac up to date is the easiest and most important way to keep it safe from hackers. Hackers often prey on users who haven’t updated their devices to the latest software as they can exploit unpatched vulnerabilities and security flaws.

Checking to see if you're running the latest macOS version is quite easy. Just click on the Apple Logo in the top right corner of your computer, head to System Preferences and then click on Software Update. If you need a bit more help, check out our guide on how to update a Mac for more detailed instructions with pictures.

Even though your Mac has its own built-in malware scanner from Apple called xProtect, you should consider using one of the best Mac antivirus software solutions for additional protection. Paid antivirus software is often updated more frequently and you often also get access to other extras to help keep you safe online like a password manager or a VPN.

Besides updating your Mac frequently and using antivirus software, you must be careful online. This means sticking to trusted online retailers, carefully checking the URLs of the websites you visit and avoiding opening links and attachments sent to you via email or social media from people you don’t know. Likewise, you should also learn how to spot a phishing scam to know which emails you want to delete right away.

Conclusion 

The thing about hackers and other cybercriminals is that they are constantly evolving their tactics and attack methods. This helps them avoid detection and allows them to devise brand-new ways to trick ordinary people. With the surge we saw in Mac malware last year, though, Apple will likely be working on beefing up xProtect and macOS to better defend against these new threats.

References 

• https://www.scmagazine.com/news/new-macos-malware-spectralblur-idd-as-north-korean-backdoor
• https://www.tomsguide.com/news/this-new-macos-backdoor-lets-hackers-take-over-your-mac-remotely-how-to-stay-safe
• https://thehackernews.com/2024/01/spectralblur-new-macos-backdoor-threat.html