#FactCheck - Viral image claiming to show injury marks of the MP Kangana Ranaut slapped is fake & misleading
Executive Summary:
The viral image in the social media which depicts fake injuries on the face of the MP(Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha) Kangana Ranaut alleged to have been beaten by a CISF officer at the Chandigarh airport. The reverse search of the viral image taken back to 2006, was part of an anti-mosquito commercial and does not feature the MP, Kangana Ranaut. The findings contradict the claim that the photos are evidence of injuries resulting from the incident involving the MP, Kangana Ranaut. It is always important to verify the truthfulness of visual content before sharing it, to prevent misinformation.
Claims:
The images circulating on social media platforms claiming the injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut’s face were because of an assault incident by a female CISF officer at Chandigarh airport. This claim hinted that the photos are evidence of the physical quarrel and resulting injuries suffered by the MP, Kangana Ranaut.
Fact Check:
When we received the posts, we reverse-searched the image and found another photo that looked similar to the viral one. We could verify through the earring in the viral image with the new image.
The reverse image search revealed that the photo was originally uploaded in 2006 and is unrelated to the MP, Kangana Ranaut. It depicts a model in an advertisement for an anti-mosquito spray campaign.
We can validate this from the earrings in the photo after the comparison between the two photos.
Hence, we can confirm that the viral image of the injury mark of the MP, Kangana Ranaut has been debunked as fake and misleading, instead it has been cropped out from the original photo to misrepresent the context.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the viral photos on social media which claimed to be the results of injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut’s face after being assaulted allegedly by a CISF officer at the airport in Chandigarh were fake. Detailed analysis of the pictures provided the fact that the pictures have no connection with Ranaut; the picture was a 2006 anti-mosquito spray advertisement; therefore, the allegations that show these images as that of Ranaut’s injury are fake and misleading.
- Claim: photos circulating on social media claiming to show injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut's face following an assault incident by a female CISF officer at Chandigarh airport.
- Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter), thread, Facebook
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Introduction
You must have heard of several techniques of cybercrime up to this point. Many of which we could never have anticipated. Some of these reports are coming from different parts of the country. Where video calls are being utilised to cheat. Through video calls, cybercriminals are making individuals victims of fraud. During this incident, fraudsters film pornographic recordings of both the victims using a screen recorder, then blackmail them by emailing these videos and demanding money. However, cybercriminals are improving their strategies to defraud more people. In this blog post, we will explore the tactics involved in this case, the psychological impact, and ways to combat it. Before we know more about the case, let’s have a look at deep fake, AI, and Sextortion and how fraudsters use technology to commit crimes.
Understanding Deepfake
Deepfake technology is the manipulation or fabrication of multimedia information such as videos, photos, or audio recordings using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and profound learning models. These algorithms process massive quantities of data to learn and imitate human-like behaviour, allowing for very realistic synthetic media development.
Individuals with malicious intent may change facial expressions, bodily movements, and even voices in recordings using deepfake technology, basically replacing a person’s appearance with someone else’s. The produced film can be practically indistinguishable from authentic footage, making it difficult for viewers to distinguish between the two.
Sextortion and technology
Sextortion is a sort of internet blackmail in which offenders use graphic or compromising content to compel others into offering money, sexual favours, or other concessions. This information is usually gained by hacking, social engineering, or tricking people into providing sensitive information.
Deepfake technology combined with sextortion techniques has increased the impact on victims. Deepfakes may now be used by perpetrators to make and distribute pornographic or compromising movies or photographs that seem genuine but are completely fake. As the prospect of discovery grows increasingly credible and tougher to rebut, the stakes for victims rise.
Cyber crooks Deceive
In this present case, cyber thugs first make video calls to people and capture the footage. They then twist the footage and merge it with a distorted naked video. As a result, the victim is obliged to conceal the case. Following that, “they demand money as a ransom to stop releasing the doctored video on the victim’s contacts and social media platforms.” In this case, a video has emerged in which a lady who was supposedly featured in the first film is depicted committing herself because of the shame caused by the video’s release. These extra threats are merely intended to inflict psychological pressure and coercion on the victims.
Sextortionists have reached a new low by profiting from the misfortunes of others, notably targeting deceased victims. The offenders want to maximise emotional pain and persuade the victim into acquiescence by generating deep fake films depicting these persons. They use the inherent compassion and emotion connected with tragedy to exact bigger ransoms from their victims.
This distressing exploitation not only adds urgency to the extortion demands but also preys on the victim’s sensitivity and emotional instability. They even pressurize the victim by impersonating them, and if the demands are fulfilled, the victims may land up in jail.
Tactics used
The morphed death videos are precisely constructed to heighten emotional discomfort and instil terror in the targeted individual. By editing photographs or videos of the deceased, the offenders create unsettling circumstances that heighten the victim’s emotional response.
The psychological manipulation seeks to instil guilt, regret, and a sense of responsibility in the victim. The notion that they are somehow linked to the catastrophe increases their emotional weakness, making them more vulnerable to the demands of sextortionists. The offenders take use of these emotions, coercing victims into cooperation out of fear of being involved in the apparent tragedy.
The impact on the victim’s mental well-being cannot be overstated. They may experience intense psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The guilt and shame associated with the false belief of being linked to someone’s death can have long-lasting effects on their emotional health and overall quality of life, others may have trust issues.
Law enforcement agencies advised
Law enforcement organisations were concerned about the growing annoyance of these illegal acts. The use of deep fake methods or other AI technologies to make convincing morphing films demonstrates scammers’ improved ability. These tools are fully capable of modifying digital information in ways that are radically different from the genuine film, making it difficult for victims to detect the fake nature of the video.
Defence strategies to fight back: To combat sextortion, a proactive approach that empowers individuals and utilizes resources is required. This section delves into crucial anti-sextortion techniques such as reporting events, preserving evidence, raising awareness, and implementing digital security measures.
- Report the Incident: Sextortion victims should immediately notify law enforcement. Contact your local police or cybercrime department and supply them with any important information, including specifics of the extortion attempt, communication logs, and any other evidence that can assist in the investigation. Reporting the occurrence is critical for keeping criminals responsible and averting additional harm to others.
- Preserve Evidence: Preserving evidence is critical in creating a solid case against sextortionists. Save and document any types of contact connected to the extortion, including text messages, emails, and social media conversations. Take screenshots, record phone calls (if legal), and save any other digital material or papers that might be used as evidence. This evidence can be useful in investigations and judicial processes.
Digital security: Implementing comprehensive digital security measures can considerably lower the vulnerability to sextortion assaults. Some important measures that one can use:
- Use unique, complicated passwords for all online accounts, and avoid reusing passwords across platforms. Consider utilising password managers to securely store and create strong passwords.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible, which adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second verification step, such as a code delivered to your phone or email, in addition to the password.
- Regular software updates: Keep your operating system, antivirus software, and programmes up to date. Security patches are frequently included in software upgrades to defend against known vulnerabilities.
- Adjust your privacy settings on social networking platforms and other online accounts to limit the availability of personal information and restrict access to your content.
- Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading files from unfamiliar or suspect sources. When exchanging personal information online, only use trusted websites.
Conclusion:
Combating sextortion demands a collaborative effort that combines proactive tactics and resources to confront this damaging practice. Individuals may actively fight back against sextortion by reporting incidences, preserving evidence, raising awareness, and implementing digital security measures. It is critical to empower victims, encourage their rehabilitation, and collaborate to build a safer online environment where sextortionists are held accountable and everyone can navigate the digital environment with confidence.
Introduction
Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common and most sophisticated around the world. India's Telecom operator BSNL has allegedly suffered a data breach. Reportedly, Hackers managed to steal sensitive information of BSNL customers and the same is now available for sale on the dark web. The leaked information includes names email addresses billing details contact numbers and outgoing call records of BSNL customers victims include both BSNL fibre and landline users. The threat actor using Querel has released a sample data set on a dark web forum and the data set contains 32,000 lines of leaked information the threat actor has claimed that the total number of lines across all databases amounts to approximately 2.9 Million.
The Persistent Threat to Digital Fortresses
As we plunge into the abyssal planes of the internet, where the shadowy tendrils of cyberspace stretch out like the countless arms of some digital leviathan, we find ourselves facing a stark and chilling revelation. At its murky depths lurks the dark web, a term that brings forth images of a clandestine digital netherworld where anonymity reigns supreme and the conventional rules of law struggle to cast their net. It is here, in this murky digital landscape, where the latest trophy of cyber larceny has been flagrantly displayed — the plundered data of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), India's state-owned telecommunications colossus.
This latest breach serves not simply as a singular incident in the tapestry of cyber incursions but as a profound reminder of the enduring fragility of our digital bastions against the onslaught wielded by the ever-belligerent adversaries in cyberspace.
The Breach
Tracing the genesis of this worrisome event, we find a disconcerting story unfold. It began to surface when a threat actor, shrouded in the mystique of the digital shadows and brandishing the enigmatic alias 'Perell,' announced their triumph on the dark web. This self-styled cyber gladiator took to the encrypted recesses of this hidden domain with bravado, professing to have extracted 'critical information' from the inner sanctum of BSNL's voluminous databases. It is from these very vaults that the most sensitive details of the company's fibre network and landline customers originate.
A portion of the looted data, a mere fragment of a more extensive and damning corpus, was brandished like a nefariously obtained banner for all to see on the dark web. It was an ostentatious display, a teaser intended to tantalize and terrify — approximately 32,000 lines of data, a hint of the reportedly vast 2.9 million lines of data that 'Perell' claimed to have sequestered in their digital domain. The significance of this compromised information cannot be overstated; it is not mere bytes and bits strewn about in the cyber-wind. It constitutes the very essence of countless individuals, an amalgamation of email addresses, billing histories, contact numbers, and a myriad of other intimate details that, if weaponized, could set the stage for heinous acts of identity theft, insidious financial fraud, and precisely sculpted phishing schemes.
Ramifications
The ramifications of such a breach extend far beyond individual concerns of privacy invasion. This event signifies an alarming clarion call highlighting the susceptibility of our digital identities. In an era where the strands of our daily lives are ever more entwined with the World Wide Web, such penetrations are not merely an affront to corporate entities; they are a direct assault on the individual's inherent right to security and the implicit trust placed in the institutions that profess to shield their most private information.
Ripples of concern have emanated throughout the cybersecurity community, prompting urgent action from Cert-In, India's cyber security sentinel. Upon notification of this digital transgression, alarms were sounded, and yet, in a disconcerting turn, BSNL has remained enigmatic, adopting a silence that seems to belie the gravity of the situation. This reticence stands in contrast to the urgency for open dialogue and transparency — it is within the anvil of these principles that the foundations of trust are laid and sustained.
Conclusion
The narrative of the BSNL data breach transcends a singular tale of digital larceny or vulnerability; it unfolds as an insistent call to action, demanding a unified and proactive response to the perpetually morphing threat landscape that haunts our technologically dependent world. It is an uncomfortable reminder that in the intricately woven web of our online existence, we each stand as potential targets with our personal data held precariously as the coveted prize for those shadow-walkers and data marauders who dwell in the secretive realms of the internet's darkest corners.
References
Introduction
In a groundbreaking move, India's Reserve Bank has embarked on a transformative journey with its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) project. As the world grapples with the evolving landscape of digital finance, the implications of India's CBDC initiative extend beyond its borders, potentially reshaping global payment systems. The Union Minister of State for Finance, Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, revealed that on October 7, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India released a proposal note on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Two pilot projects using blockchain-based technology are described in the concept note: Digital Rupee-Wholesale (e₹-W) and Digital Rupee-Retail (e₹-R). Launched on November 1, 2022, the bulk trading pilot aims to increase intermediary competitiveness, particularly in the resolution of trades in the secondary market involving sovereign debt. In parallel, on December 1, 2022, the retail banking pilot, known as e₹-R, got underway in a limited user group with eight banks taking part in stages.
The digital asset known as e₳-R is issued across financial institutions for Person-to-Person (P2P) and Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions. It is intended to serve as a virtual currency that represents legal money and exhibits characteristics similar to actual cash. Based on input gathered during the continuing trial phases, the RBI intends to progressively broaden the pilot project's scope.
Central Bank Digital Currency Pilot Projects
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which the Central Bank of India is promoting, may easily perform an essential part in payments made across borders, according to Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das. The CBDC is going to be expanded to the international financial markets after being implemented as a trial in both the retail and wholesale industries.
CBDC in International Payments
He emphasized that although physical currency will still exist, the CBDC will eventually replace all forms of money worldwide.
"CBDC is going to be the future currency of the world and it is necessary that every central bank, every country works on CBDC," he stated. He also stated that as worldwide commerce moves more and more around science and technology, CBDCs will play a significant role since they can effectively and affordably speed up payment processing across different countries. Regarding India's foreign exchange reserves, the governor stated that the selection to increase the resources as a safety net and protection versus contagion possibilities was made consciously.
CBDCs' Place in the Transnational Economic Revolution
In certain economies worldwide, having a CBDC internationally accessible could lead to more replacements for foreign currencies rather than the home currencies, which could cause financial aggregates to become volatile and change the mix of instruments of exchange.
CBDC may have benefits related to first-mover savings of scale, and other consequences even in everyday circumstances. If nations with global currencies have established CBDCs, they could strengthen current advantages and disadvantages, including consequences, particularly in terms of revenue. In a similar vein, CBDC might alter the structure of international liquidity while safeguarding asset supply. Additionally, and particularly if imposed abruptly, CBDC may, in certain circumstances, result in significant capital movements and associated repercussions on the foreign exchange rate as well as additional asset prices. Furthermore, nations may encounter difficulties in getting ready for virtual currencies issued by central banks.
The worldwide and international scope of CBDCs accessible to immigrants may become particularly apparent in situations where there is a widespread flight safety concern. In these circumstances, converting a CBDC into a foreign currency would make it possible for capital markets to deleverage more quickly. The elimination of debt challenges could show up as tight finance constraints and abrupt swings in foreign exchange markets if CBDCS expedited its flight from uncertainty.
Deposits of Foreign Exchange and Self-Dependency
Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das stated "We must rely on ourselves. We must maintain our robust reserves. In order to achieve that goal, we have been amassing quite substantial reserves, and the outside world has come to feel quite confident that India would be able to fulfil its contractual responsibilities to the international community no matter what the obstacles,"
Involvement of RBI in the Currency Market
Given that the trading community was confident that the Reserve Bank of India would be capable of and able to fulfil its contractual responsibilities, the value of the Indian rupee did not decline as dramatically. The RBI governor stated that the RBI does participate in the economy, but that "our engagement operates in two ways," he would not hesitate to acknowledge this.
The Value of Macroeconomic and Budgetary Cooperation
According to RBI Governor Das, the RBI makes purchases and sales of dollars based on the direction in which the financial sector is trending. However, the RBI does not intend to set a certain level for the rupee because it does not consider any specific threshold for the Indian rupee's conversion rate against the US dollar. He also emphasized how crucial it is for both the financial and monetary authorities to work together.
Conclusion
India's CBDC project signals a transformative shift in the global digital finance landscape. Governor Shaktikanta Das envisions CBDCs as the future global currency, emphasizing their role in international payments. The potential impact on financial systems, cross-border transactions, and the need for self-reliance underscore the significance of India's CBDC initiative in shaping the evolving dynamics of the digital economy. As the project progresses, close cooperation between financial and monetary authorities becomes imperative for navigating the challenges and opportunities associated with this groundbreaking venture.
References
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/central-bank-digital-currency-can-play-important-role-in-cross-border-payment-rbi-guv/articleshow/104706717.cms
- https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d174.pdf
- https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/fintech/explained-how-rbi-is-leveraging-upi-to-push-the-use-of-retail-cbdc/103591989
- https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/02/09/sp020922-the-future-of-money-gearing-up-for-central-bank-digital-currency
- https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/cbdc-pilot-projects-show-promising-results-rbi-governor-shaktikanta-das-123102601171_1.html
