Post Session Report on Universal Acceptance and Multilingual Internet at BIT University under CyberPeace Center of Excellence (CCoE)

Executive Summary:

A recent claim going around on social media that a child created sand sculptures of cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been proven false by the CyberPeace Research Team. The team discovered that the images were actually produced using an AI tool. Evident from the unusual details like extra fingers and unnatural characteristics in the sculptures, the Research Team discerned the likelihood of artificial creation. This suspicion was further substantiated by AI detection tools. This incident underscores the need to fact-check information before posting, as misinformation can quickly go viral on social media. It is advised everyone to carefully assess content to stop the spread of false information.

Claims:

The claim is that the photographs published on social media show sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni made by a child.

Fact Check:

Upon receiving the posts, we carefully examined the images. The collage of 4 pictures has many anomalies which are the clear sign of AI generated images.

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In the first image the left  hand of the sand sculpture has 6 fingers and in the word INDIA, ‘A’ is not properly aligned i.e not in the same line as other letters. In the second image, the finger of the boy is missing and the sand sculpture has 4 fingers in its front foot and has 3 legs. In the third image the slipper of the boy is not visible whereas some part of the slipper is visible, and in the fourth image the hand of the boy is not looking like a hand. These are some of the major discrepancies clearly visible in the images.

We then checked using an AI Image detection tool named ‘Hive’ image detection, Hive detected the image as 100.0% AI generated.

We then checked it in another AI image detection named ContentAtScale AI image detection, and it found to be 98% AI generated.

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From this we concluded that the Image is AI generated and has no connection with the claim made in the viral social media posts. We have also previously debunked AI Generated artwork of sand sculpture of Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli which had the same types of anomalies as those seen in this case.

Conclusion:

Taking into consideration the distortions spotted in the images and the result of AI detection tools, it can be concluded that the claim of the pictures representing the child's sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is false. The pictures are created with Artificial Intelligence. It is important to check and authenticate the content before posting it to social media websites.

• Claim: The frame of pictures shared on social media contains child's sand sculptures of cricket player Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
• Claimed on: X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
• Fact Check: Fake & Misleading

Executive Summary:

A viral image circulating on social media claims it to be a natural optical illusion from Epirus, Greece. However, upon fact-checking, it was found that the image is an AI-generated artwork created by Iranian artist Hamidreza Edalatnia using the Stable Diffusion AI tool. CyberPeace Research Team found it through reverse image search and analysis with an AI content detection tool named HIVE Detection, which indicated a 100% likelihood of AI generation. The claim of the image being a natural phenomenon from Epirus, Greece, is false, as no evidence of such optical illusions in the region was found.

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Claims:

The viral image circulating on social media depicts a natural optical illusion from Epirus, Greece. Users share on X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube Video, and Facebook. It’s spreading very fast across Social Media.

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Similar Posts:

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Fact Check:

Upon receiving the Posts, the CyberPeace Research Team first checked for any Synthetic Media detection, and the Hive AI Detection tool found it to be 100% AI generated, which is proof that the Image is AI Generated. Then, we checked for the source of the image and did a reverse image search for it. We landed on similar Posts from where an Instagram account is linked, and the account of similar visuals was made by the creator named hamidreza.edalatnia. The account we landed posted a photo of similar types of visuals.

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We searched for the viral image in his account, and it was confirmed that the viral image was created by this person.

The Photo was posted on 10th December, 2023 and he mentioned using AI Stable Diffusion the image was generated . Hence, the Claim made in the Viral image of the optical illusion from Epirus, Greece is Misleading.

Conclusion:

The image claiming to show a natural optical illusion in Epirus, Greece, is not genuine, and it's False. It is an artificial artwork created by Hamidreza Edalatnia, an artist from Iran, using the artificial intelligence tool Stable Diffusion. Hence the claim is false. 

Introduction

With the increasing frequency and severity of cyber-attacks on critical sectors, the government of India has formulated the National Cyber Security Reference Framework (NCRF) 2023, aimed to address cybersecurity concerns in India. In today’s digital age, the security of critical sectors is paramount due to the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. Cybersecurity measures are crucial for protecting essential sectors such as banking, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, transportation, strategic enterprises, and government enterprises. This is an essential step towards safeguarding these critical sectors and preparing for the challenges they face in the face of cyber threats. Protecting critical sectors from cyber threats is an urgent priority that requires the development of robust cybersecurity practices and the implementation of effective measures to mitigate risks.

Overview of the National Cyber Security Policy 2013

The National Cyber Security Policy of 2013 was the first attempt to address cybersecurity concerns in India. However, it had several drawbacks that limited its effectiveness in mitigating cyber risks in the contemporary digital age. The policy’s outdated guidelines, insufficient prevention and response measures, and lack of legal implications hindered its ability to protect critical sectors adequately. Moreover, the policy should have kept up with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape and emerging technologies, leaving organisations vulnerable to new cyber-attacks. The 2013 policy failed to address the evolving nature of cyber threats, leaving organisations needing updated guidelines to combat new and sophisticated attacks.

As a result, an updated and more comprehensive policy, the National Cyber Security Reference Framework 2023, was necessary to address emerging challenges and provide strategic guidance for protecting critical sectors against cyber threats.

Highlights of NCRF 2023

Strategic Guidance: NCRF 2023 has been developed to provide organisations with strategic guidance to address their cybersecurity concerns in a structured manner.

Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR): The policy is based on a CBDR approach, recognising that different organisations have varying levels of cybersecurity needs and responsibilities.

Update of National Cyber Security Policy 2013: NCRF supersedes the National Cyber Security Policy 2013, which was due for an update to align with the evolving cyber threat landscape and emerging challenges.

Different from CERT-In Directives: NCRF is distinct from the directives issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) published in April 2023. It provides a comprehensive framework rather than specific directives for reporting cyber incidents.

Combination of robust strategies: National Cyber Security Reference Framework 2023 will provide strategic guidance, a revised structure, and a proactive approach to cybersecurity, enabling organisations to tackle the growing cyberattacks in India better and safeguard critical sectors. Rising incidents of malware attacks on critical sectors

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in malware attacks targeting critical sectors. These sectors, including banking, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, transportation, strategic enterprises, and government enterprises, play a crucial role in the functioning of economies and the well-being of societies. The escalating incidents of malware attacks on these sectors have raised concerns about the security and resilience of critical infrastructure.

Banking: The banking sector handles sensitive financial data and is a prime target for cybercriminals due to the potential for financial fraud and theft.

Energy: The energy sector, including power grids and oil companies, is critical for the functioning of economies, and disruptions can have severe consequences for national security and public safety.

Healthcare: The healthcare sector holds valuable patient data, and cyber-attacks can compromise patient privacy and disrupt healthcare services. Malware attacks on healthcare organisations can result in the theft of patient records, ransomware incidents that cripple healthcare operations, and compromise medical devices.

Telecommunications: Telecommunications infrastructure is vital for reliable communication, and attacks targeting this sector can lead to communication disruptions and compromise the privacy of transmitted data. The interconnectedness of telecommunications networks globally presents opportunities for cybercriminals to launch large-scale attacks, such as Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks.

Transportation: Malware attacks on transportation systems can lead to service disruptions, compromise control systems, and pose safety risks.

Strategic Enterprises: Strategic enterprises, including defence, aerospace, intelligence agencies, and other sectors vital to national security, face sophisticated malware attacks with potentially severe consequences. Cyber adversaries target these enterprises to gain unauthorised access to classified information, compromise critical infrastructure, or sabotage national security operations.

Government Enterprises: Government organisations hold a vast amount of sensitive data and provide essential services to citizens, making them targets for data breaches and attacks that can disrupt critical services.

Conclusion  

The sectors of banking, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, transportation, strategic enterprises, and government enterprises face unique vulnerabilities and challenges in the face of cyber-attacks. By recognising the significance of safeguarding these sectors, we can emphasise the need for proactive cybersecurity measures and collaborative efforts between public and private entities. Strengthening regulatory frameworks, sharing threat intelligence, and adopting best practices are essential to ensure our critical infrastructure’s resilience and security. Through these concerted efforts, we can create a safer digital environment for these sectors, protecting vital services and preserving the integrity of our economy and society. The rising incidents of malware attacks on critical sectors emphasise the urgent need for updated cybersecurity policy, enhanced cybersecurity measures, a collaboration between public and private entities, and the development of proactive defence strategies. National Cyber Security Reference Framework 2023 will help in addressing the evolving cyber threat landscape, protect critical sectors, fill the gaps in sector-specific best practices, promote collaboration, establish a regulatory framework, and address the challenges posed by emerging technologies. By providing strategic guidance, this framework will enhance organisations’ cybersecurity posture and ensure the protection of critical infrastructure in an increasingly digitised world.