Securing Digital Banking: RBI Mandates Migration to [.]bank[.]in Domains
Introduction
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated banks to switch their digital banking domains to 'Bank.in' by October 31, 2025, as part of a strategy to modernise the sector and maintain consumer confidence. The move is expected to provide a consistent and secure interface for online banking, as a response to the increasing threats posed by cybercriminals who exploit vulnerabilities in online platforms. The RBI's directive is seen as a proactive measure to address the growing concerns over cybersecurity in the banking sector.
RBI Circular - Migration to '.bank.in' domain
The official circular released by the RBI dated April 22, 2025, read as follows:
“It has now been decided to operationalise the ‘. bank.in’ domain for banks through the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), which has been authorised by National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to serve as the exclusive registrar for this domain. Banks may contact IDRBT at sahyog@idrbt.ac.in to initiate the registration process. IDRBT shall guide the banks on various aspects related to application process and migration to new domain.”
“All banks are advised to commence the migration of their existing domains to the ‘.bank.in’ domain and complete the process at the earliest and in any case, not later than October 31, 2025.”
CyberPeace Outlook
The Reserve Bank of India's directive mandating banks to shift to the 'Bank.in' domain by October 31, 2025, represents a strategic and forward-looking measure to modernise the nation’s digital banking infrastructure. With this initiative, the RBI is setting a new benchmark in cybersecurity by creating a trusted, exclusive domain that banks must adopt. This move will drastically reduce cyber threats, phishing attacks, and fake banking websites, which have been major sources of financial fraud. This fixed domain will simplify verification for consumers and tech platforms to more easily identify legitimate banking websites and apps. Furthermore, a strong drop in online financial fraud will have a long-term effect by this order. Since phishing and domain spoofing are two of the most prevalent forms of cybercrime, a shift to a strictly regulated domain name system will remove the potential for lookalike URLs and fraudulent websites that mimic banks. As India’s digital economy grows, RBI’s move is timely, essential, and future-ready.
References
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Introduction
Pagers were commonly utilized in the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially in fields that needed fast, reliable communication and swift alerts and information sharing. Pagers typically offer a broader coverage range, particularly in remote areas with limited cellular signals, which enhances their dependability. They are simple electronic devices with minimal features, making them easy to use and less prone to technical issues. The decline in their use has been caused by the rise of mobile phones and their extensive features, offering more advanced communication options like voice calls, text messages, and internet access. Despite this, pagers are still used in some specific industries.
A shocking incident occurred on 17th September 2014, where thousands of pager devices exploded within seconds across Lebanon in a synchronized attack, targeting the US-designated terror group Hezbollah. The explosions killed at least 9 and injured over 2,800 individuals in the country that has been caught up in the Israel-Palestine tensions in its backyard.
The Pager Bombs Incident
On Tuesday, 17th September 2024, hundreds of pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon exploded in an unprecedented attack, surpassing a series of covert assassinations and cyber-attacks in the region over recent years. The Iran-backed militant group claimed the wireless devices began to explode around 3:30 p.m., local time, in a targeted attack on Hezbollah operatives. The pagers that exploded were new and had been purchased by Hezbollah in recent months. Experts say the explosions underscore Hezbollah's vulnerability as its communication network was compromised to deadly effect. Several areas of the country were affected, particularly Beirut's southern suburbs, a populous area that is a known Hezbollah stronghold. At least 9 people were killed, including a child, and about 2,800 people were wounded, overwhelming Lebanese hospitals.
Second Wave of Attack
As per the most recent reports, the next day, following the pager bombing incident, a second wave of blasts hit Beirut and multiple parts of Lebanon. Certain wireless devices such as walkie-talkies, solar equipment, and car batteries exploded, resulting in at least 9 people killed and 300 injured, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The attack is said to have embarrassed Hezbollah, incapacitated many of its members, and raised fears about a greater escalation of hostilities between the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and Israel.
A New Kind of Threat - ‘Cyber-Physical’ Attacks
The incident raises serious concerns about physical tampering with daily-use electronic devices and the possibility of triggering a new age of warfare. This highlights the serious physical threat posed, wherein even devices such as smartwatches, earbuds, and pacemakers could be vulnerable to physical tampering if an attacker gains physical access to them. We are potentially looking at a new age of ‘cyber-physical’ threats where the boundaries between the digital and the physical are blurring rapidly. It raises questions about unauthorised access and manipulation targeting the physical security of such electronic devices. There is a cause for concern regarding the global supply chain across sectors, if even seemingly-innocuous devices can be weaponised to such devastating effect. Such kinds of attacks are capable of causing significant disruption and casualties, as demonstrated by pager bombings in Lebanon, which resulted in numerous deaths and injuries. It also raises questions on the regulatory mechanism and oversights checks at every stage of the electronic device lifecycle, from component manufacturing to the final assembly and shipment or supply. This is a grave issue because embedding explosives and doing malicious modifications by adversaries can turn such electronic devices into weapons.
CyberPeace Outlook
The pager bombing attack demonstrates a new era of threats in warfare tactics, revealing the advanced coordination and technical capabilities of adversaries where they have weaponised the daily use of electronic devices. They have targeted the hardware security of electronic devices, presenting a serious new threat to hardware security. The threat is grave, and has understandably raised widespread apprehension globally. Such kind of gross weaponisation of daily-use devices, specially in the conflict context, also triggers concerns about the violation of International Humanitarian Law principles. It also raises serious questions on the liabilities of companies, suppliers and manufacturers of such devices, who are subject to regulatory checks and ensuring the authenticity of their products.
The incident highlights the need for a more robust regulatory landscape, with stricter supply chain regulations as we adjust to the realities of a possible new era of weaponisation and conflict expression. CyberPeace recommends the incorporation of stringent tracking and vetting processes in product supply chains, along with the strengthening of international cooperation mechanisms to ensure compliance with protocols regarding the responsible use of technology. These will go a long way towards establishing peace in the global cyberspace and restore trust and safety with regards to everyday technologies.
References:
1. https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-a-pager-9573113/
5. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/18/hezbollah-pager-explosion-lebanon-israel-gold-apollo
Introduction
Emerging technologies in the digital era have made their inroads in manifold domains and locations, including the “Aviation industry”. A 2022 Cranfield University and Inmarsat report has made the point for digitalization powering a reviving age for the aviation industry. Several airport authorities are presently mobilizing power of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the airport bedrock to provide travelers with a plain sailing and expeditious air travel experience.
The Perils of Juice-Jacking
Today, Universal Serial Bus (USB) charging ports are ubiquitous and a convenient way for travelers to keep their devices powered up. In their busy, mundane lives, people use the public charging facility while travelling. However, cybersecurity experts have warned that charging in public areas could wipe off data from an electronic device or install malware, and they have urged people to stay away from USB charging ports at airports and other public areas. This leads to the possibility that fraudsters may manipulate susceptible users via juice jacking.
Investigative journalist Brian Krebs in 2011 coined the term "Juice Jacking". It isa form of cyber attack where a public USB charging port is fiddled with and infected using hardware and software changes to pocket data or install malware on devices connected to it. The term “juice jacking” is a slang representation for electric power or energy, and “hijacking” indicates an unauthorized key toa device.
While the preliminary purpose of juice jacking is usually to pilfer sensitive information from corresponding devices, such as passwords and payment card details, attackers can exploit this stolen information to attain unauthorized to your financial accounts. If the adversary attacker installs malware in the electronic device during the juice jacking strategy, the attacker may further observe the individual's movements even after one has disconnected the device from the USB port. However, the hazards of Juice Jacking include malware infection, data heist, economic loss and damage to the reputation of an individual.
RedFlags from Agencies
In2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) forewarned travelers against using charging stations in public zones such as hotels, airports, and shopping malls due to malicious actors attempting to use the public USB to introduce monitoring software and malware into devices. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also administered a new advisory regarding “juice jacking "and its possibility of launching a hushed cyber attack against a mobile gadget while one is charging the phone with a USB cord. Similarly, according to new research from International Business Machines (IBM) Security, many nation-state hackers are currently training their eyes on travelers.
RBI Advisory
Recently in 2024, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has likewise administered a warning statement to mobile phone users urging them against charging their devices using public ports. RBI has additionally accentuated the importance of safeguarding private and financial data while using mobile devices. Juice jacking is further cited as one of the scams in the RBI booklet on the modus operandi of financial fraudsters in the financial space.
Preventing juice jacking attacks
The routes to avoid Juice Jacking are to keep a tab on the USB devices, not use the public charging ports, update the phone software regularly, enable and utilize the software security measures of the device, use a USB pass-through device, a wall outlet, or a backup battery; never use unknown charging cables and use only the trusted security apps. It is further important to avoid using cables that are left behind by other travelers in any public space. Users can correspondingly turn off their devices before connecting to a wary charging port. Nevertheless, the absence of documented cases does not necessarily imply that users cannot be a target of such an attack and a warning is still recommended when securing personal gadgets with susceptible user data while using standard cables. Also, using a virtual private network (VPN) and assuring that devices have the updated security updates established can aid in mitigating the danger of cyber attacks. It is equally important to utilize the security features of your device, such as passcodes, fingerprints, or facial recognition, enabled to count as a supplementary layer of safeguard.
Conclusion
In the contemporary digital age, individuals, on the whole, need to be vigilant about “Cybersecurity hygiene” and avoid accessing susceptible data or conducting financial transactions on unsecured networks. Mobile phones or devices should run on the latest operating system, and antivirus software should be revamped to mitigate conceivable security susceptibilities.
References
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2023/04/20/juice-jacking-malware-phone-airports-hotels/?sh=47adab7e82ed
- https://www.businessairportinternational.com/features/how-ai-is-improving-business-aviation-operations.html
- https://www.news18.com/business/juice-jacking-attack-scam-bank-frauds-india-8412037.html
- https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/juice-jacking/
- https://blogs.blackberry.com/en/2023/04/juice-jacking-advisory
- https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/juice-jacking-rbi-issues-warning-against-charging-mobile-phones-using-public-ports/article67895091.ece
- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/juice-jacking-how-hackers-target-smartphones-tethered-to-public-charging-points/article67026433.ece
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2019/05/21/why-you-should-never-use-airport-usb-charging-stations/?sh=630f026a5955
- https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/12/tech/fbi-public-charging-port-warning/index.html
- https://social-innovation.hitachi/en-in/knowledge-hub/hitachi-voice/digital-transformation/
- https://www.inmarsat.com/en/insights/aviation/2022/future-aviation-connectivity.html
Introduction
Taj Hotels Group is well known for its luxurious ambience and old-world grace and charm, blended with contemporary comforts and amenities for its guests or customers. But what can make all the netizens perplexed is the recent data breach incident which took place in Tata-owned Taj hotels. The hotel suffer from a data breach that compromises nearly 1.5 million customers' data which includes addresses, membership IDs, mobile numbers and other personally identifiable information, according to sources. This news was brought to light which raised concerns about the privacy and data protection of personal data of individuals. We are living in a space influenced by advanced technology and digital communication which throws a concern or challenge to secure the personal information of individuals.
Unveiling the incident
Tata-owned Taj Hotels group has suffered a data breach that compromise information of over 1.5 million customers, according to a news report. A bad actor or entity going by the name “Dnacookies” claimed data set contains data from the 2014-2020 period and has not been disclosed anywhere till now. Such personal data includes name, address, customer ID, mobile number and other personally identifiable information. This shows the risks or challenges of data protection and security. The incidents raise an alarm about the risks and vulnerabilities that might be faced even by the big corporate giants. The bad actor with the handle “Dnacookies” also demanded a ransom of a sum of about Rs 4.16 lakh from the Taj hotel group. In response to the incident, a spokesperson from the concerned hotel group said that we have been made aware of someone claiming possession of a limited data customer data set, which is non-sensitive in nature. Investigation is underway and relevant authorities have been notified about the incident.
A demand for ransom
The report from CNBC-TV18 clears that the bad actor not only purloined the data but also demanded around 4.16 lakh as a ransom for the database. Along with this, the bad actor kept three conditions ahead. Firstly there has to be a middleman for a negotiable deal secondly the data cannot be split either the entire data has to be taken with the ransom demand or no data at all. Thirdly additional samples of data will not be provided. Further, the spokesperson of Indian Hotel Company Limited mentioned that they have been escalated with the fact that someone is claiming authority in a limited data set. The bad actor claimed that the database contains information from 2014- 2020 which has been kept confidential till now. The audacity of the bad actor went to such an extent that the sample containing one thousand rows of unique entries from the bad actor dataset was also provided by the bad actor as proof of the deed. This incident underlines the growing threat in cyberspace and the urgency for individuals, organizations or entities to priorities data security measures and maintain cyber resilience.
Personal Data on Stake
Such data is the personal information of the individuals and also constitutes the personal tastes and preferences of individuals which can be exploited. The biggest gush of winds the hotel and individuals face by such a data breach is not only the volume of data compromised but also the potential ways it can get misused and exploited against the hotel or its customers by cyber crooks. This paves the way for cybercriminals to put forward any demand knowing the sensitivity of the data. Followed by creating a dilemmatic situation for the affected entities to either accept the ransom demands or to stand against ransom. Since the risks are high, going ahead with any of these situations can have an adverse impact on the security of personal data. The organisation or entities holding the personal data need to make sure that data under their realm is well protected and secured.
While the organisation has to sail through the aftermath of this breach, such incidents also pose a challenge for the organisation to maintain the trust and reputation of the organization since these incidents question the cyber security posture of the organisation. It is suggested to be transparent with its stakeholders, and open about the vulnerabilities and steps taken against this. They should also discuss the amplified step added for safeguarding their customer's personal data. Since Taj is well known for its out-of-the-box luxury and for providing comfort to its customers it should take a step ahead to reinforce its digital infrastructure to ensure the security of data.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
The newly enacted Digital Personal Data Act, 2023 put certain obligations on data fiduciaries to take reasonable measures to maintain the security of personal data. The Act also requires to inform about the data breach to the data protection board constituted under the Act. The Act aims to protect the individual's digital personal data. The Act casts certain obligations on data principals and data fiduciaries. The Act provides penalty upto 250 crores in case of a data breach. The Act aims to provide consent-based data collection techniques. The Act also establishes the Data Protection Board to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act and address grievances.
Conclusion
Data breach in such a big giant in the market serves as an alarming concern to be more cautious and proactively take precautionary measures to protect the security of data and compliance with data protection laws and regulations. We are living in an era where digital security is as important as the basic fundamental rights of an individual. Taj Hotels Group has actively taken steps to handle the aftermath of the data breach by informing the incident to law enforcement agencies and taking necessary steps. It is also on our part to be more aware, and vigilant about our personal data. Entities need to ensure compliance and measures to protect personal data and overall ensure a true cyber-safe & digital environment.
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