#FactCheck : Old Video of Birds Misleadingly Linked to Iran’s Attack on Israel Goes Viral
Executive Summary
Amid the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran, a video is rapidly going viral on social media with Hindi and Urdu captions. The clip shows several vehicles on a road while a large number of black birds can be seen circling in the sky. Users are sharing the video with the claim that it shows thousands of crows hovering over Tel Aviv after an Iranian attack. Some have even described it as a sign of a major impending event.
However, an research by the CyberPeace found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is old and has no connection to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, a keyframe from the video was reverse searched on Yandex. This led to the same video being shared on Reddit on June 13, 2024, where it was described as footage from the US state of Texas. Further searches using the keywords “Crows in Texas” revealed that the same video had been shared on Facebook in April and June 2024. These posts also claimed that the visuals were captured near a supermarket in Texas, where a large number of crows were seening.
While the exact location of the video cannot be independently confirmed, the available evidence clearly establishes that the footage predates the current conflict and is unrelated to any recent events involving Iran or Israel.
Conclusion
The viral video showing a flock of birds in the sky is not linked to any Iranian attack on Israel. It has been available online since 2024 and is being falsely shared in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Related Blogs
A video circulating widely on social media claims that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Afghan Taliban. The clip allegedly shows Singh stating that both organisations share a common ideology and belief system and therefore “must walk together.” However, a research by the CyberPeace found that the video is digitally manipulated, and the audio attributed to Rajnath Singh has been fabricated using artificial intelligence.
Claim
An X user, Aamir Ali Khan (@Aamir_Aali), on January 20 shared a video of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, claiming that he drew parallels between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Afghan Taliban. The user alleged that Singh stated both organisations follow a similar ideology and belief system and therefore must “walk together.” The post further quoted Singh as allegedly saying: “Indian RSS & Afghan Taliban have one ideology, we have one faith, we have one alliance, our mutual enemy is Pakistan. Israel is a strategic partner of India & Afghan Taliban are Israeli friends. We must join hands to destroy the enemy Pakistan.” Here is the link and archive link to the post, along with a screenshot.
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, the CyberPeace conducted a Google Lens search using keyframes extracted from the viral video. This search led to an extended version of the same footage uploaded on the official YouTube channel of Rajnath Singh. The original video was traced back to the inaugural ceremony of the Medium Calibre Ammunition Facility, constructed by Solar Industries in Nagpur. Upon reviewing the complete, unedited speech, the Desk found no instance where Rajnath Singh made any remarks comparing the RSS with the Afghan Taliban or spoke about shared ideology, alliances, or Pakistan in the manner claimed.
In the authentic footage, the Defence Minister spoke about:
" India’s push for Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence manufacturing
Strengthening domestic ammunition production
Positioning India as a global hub for defence exports "
The statements attributed to him in the viral clip were entirely absent from the original speech.
Here is the link to the original video, along with a screenshot.
In the next stage of the research , the audio track from the viral video was extracted and analysed using the AI voice detection tool Aurigin. This confirmed that the original visuals were misused and overlaid with a synthetic voice track to create a misleading narrative.
Conclusion
The CyberPeace concluded that the viral video claiming Defence Minister Rajnath Singh compared the RSS with the Afghan Taliban is false and misleading. The video has been digitally manipulated, with an AI-generated audio track falsely attributed to Singh. The Defence Minister made no such remarks during the Nagpur event, and the claim circulating online is fabricated.
Introduction
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, CERT-In, is the national statutory agency that responds to Cybersecurity Incidents under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) of the Government of India. CERT-In and Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) have joined hands to develop a focused pool of Cybersecurity Leaders through the National Cyber Security Scholar Program (NCSSP). This National Cyber Security Scholar Program is to create a pool of credible and ethical cybersecurity leaders in the country who prioritise national cyber security in their professional endeavours. This program allows both organisations to jointly issue joint certifications for Cohort 6 of the National Cyber Security Scholar Program (NCSSP). This certification is provided to cybersecurity professionals who complete one of the world’s leading cybersecurity management programs.
About the Program
The National Cybersecurity Scholar (NCSS) is a comprehensive 18-week, 160-hour Instructor-led program for emerging cybersecurity leaders. The ISAC will conduct the program with CERT-IN and KDEM as knowledge partners. This Cyber Security Scholar program aims to provide an extraordinary opportunity, for scholars, to gain hands-on experience in real-world scenarios through activities such as war games. It will allow scholars to acquaint themselves with roles such as that of stakeholders, including attackers, Security Operations Centre (SOC) teams, Forensicators, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), and CEOs, and engage in tabletop exercises that simulate a cyber crisis. This program would allow scholars to understand how responses to cyber crises impact the financial performance of an organisation, including, stock prices and sales. It offers a treasure trove of insights into the economic impact of cybersecurity decisions and the importance of proactive risk management.
The program invites applications from various scholars including Mid to senior-level leaders, diplomats and diplomatic corps officers, mid to senior-level government officials involved in homeland and cybersecurity operations, experienced executives from Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs), faculty members who specialise in new and emerging technologies, cybersecurity professionals in CII sectors and post-doctoral or research scholars in cybersecurity.
CyberPeace Outlook
The National Cyber Security Scholar Program subsumes several key dimensions working towards building a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem for India.
- The program focuses on skill development and enhancing scholars’ knowledge in domains of network security, ethical hacking, cyber forensics, incident response, malware analysis, and threat intelligence.
- The partnership between CERT-In and ISAC, government and Industry entities, ensures that scholars are exposed to different policy-level frameworks and technical expertise, offering a unique blend of perspectives that cater to the country's national security goals and industry best practices.
- The scholar program encourages the development of new methodologies, tools, and frameworks that could be instrumental in tackling future cyber challenges and advancing India's position as a global leader in cybersecurity research and development. Research and innovation in cybersecurity are critical to the program.
- It plays a significant role in providing opportunities for career development by further providing networking platforms with professionals, researchers, and thought leaders in the cybersecurity field, giving them exposure to internships, job placements, and further academic pursuits.
This program aims to support upskilling India’s broader cyber defence strategy through the creation of highly skilled professionals. The scholars are expected to contribute actively to national cybersecurity efforts, whether through roles in government, private sector, or academia, helping to create a more secure and resilient cyberspace. The National Cyber Security Scholar Program is a major advancement in strengthening cybersecurity resilience in India. In a digital world where cyber threats crossing boundaries, such programs are essential for maintaining our national security and economic stability.
References
- https://theprint.in/ani-press-releases/cert-in-and-isac-collaborate-to-develop-focussed-pool-of-cybersecurity-leaders-through-the-national-cyber-security-scholar-program-ncssp/2318021/
- https://isacfoundation.org/national-cyber-security-scholar/
- https://cyberversefoundation.org/national-cyber-security-scholar/
A video of Bollywood actor and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan is going viral on social media. The video claims that Shah Rukh Khan is reacting to opposition against Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman playing for KKR and is allegedly calling industrialist Gautam Adani a “traitor,” while appealing to stop Hindu–Muslim politics.
Research by the CyberPeace Foundation found that the voice heard in the video is not Shah Rukh Khan’s but is AI-generated. Shah Rukh Khan has not made any official statement regarding Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from KKR. The claim made in the video concerning industrialist Gautam Adani is also completely misleading and baseless.
Claim
In the viral video, Shah Rukh Khan is allegedly heard saying: “People barking about Mustafizur Rahman playing for KKR should stop it. Adani is earning money by betraying the country by supplying electricity from India to Bangladesh. Leave Hindu–Muslim politics and raise your voice against traitors like Adani for the welfare of the country. Mustafizur Rahman will continue to play for the team.”
The post link, archive link, and screenshots can be seen below:
- Archive link: https://archive.is/XsQXp
- Facebook reel link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1220246633365097
Research
We examined the key frames of Shah Rukh Khan’s viral video using Google Lens. During this process, we found the original video on the official YouTube channel Talks at Google, which was uploaded on 2 October 2014.
In this video, Shah Rukh Khan is seen wearing the same outfit as in the viral clip. He is seen responding to questions from Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The YouTube video description mentions that Shah Rukh Khan participated in a fireside chat held at the Googleplex, where he answered Pichai’s questions and also promoted his upcoming film “Happy New Year.”
The link to the video is given : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8UBv5bZo0
Upon closely analyzing the viral video of Shah Rukh Khan, we noticed a clear mismatch between his voice and lip movements (lip sync). Such inconsistencies usually appear when the original video or its audio has been tampered with.
We then examined the audio present in the video using the AI detection tool Aurigin. According to the tool’s results, the audio in the viral video was found to be approximately 99 percent AI-generated.
Conclusion
Our research confirmed that the voice heard in the video is not Shah Rukh Khan’s but is AI-generated. Shah Rukh Khan has not made any official comment regarding Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from KKR. Additionally, the claims made in the video about industrialist Gautam Adani are completely misleading and baseless.
