#FactCheck -AI-Generated Video Falsely Shows Giorgia Meloni Storming Out After Ending Agreements With Israel

Over the last decade, battlefields have percolated from mountains, deserts, jungles, seas, and the skies into the invisible networks of code and cables. Cyberwarfare is no longer a distant possibility but today’s reality. The cyberattacks of Estonia in 2007, the crippling of Iran’s nuclear program by the Stuxnet virus, the SolarWinds and Colonial Pipeline breaches in recent years have proved one thing: that nations can now paralyze economies and infrastructures without firing a bullet.  Cyber operations now fall beyond the traditional threshold of war, allowing aggressors to exploit the grey zone where full-scale retaliation may be unlikely. 

At the same time, this ambiguity has also given rise to the concept of cyber deterrence. It is a concept that has been borrowed from the nuclear strategies during the Cold War era and has been adapted to the digital age. At the core, cyber deterrence seeks to alter the adversary’s cost-benefit calculation that makes attacks either too costly or pointless to pursue. While power blocs like the US, Russia, and China continue to build up their cyber arsenals, smaller nations can hold unique advantages, most importantly in terms of their resilience, if not firepower.   

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Understanding the concept of Cyber Deterrence

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Deterrence, in its classic sense, is about preventing action through the fear of consequences. It usually manifests in four mechanisms as follows:

• Punishment by threatening to impose costs on attackers, whether by counter-attacks, economic sanctions, or even conventional forces. 
• Denial of attacks by making them futile through hardened defences, and ensuring the systems to resist, recover, and continue to function. 
• Entanglement by leveraging interdependence in trade, finance, and technology to make attacks costly for both attackers and defenders. 
• Norms can also help shape behaviour by stigmatizing reckless cyber actions by imposing reputational costs that can exceed any gains. 

However, great powers have always emphasized the importance of punishment as a tool to showcase their power by employing offensive cyber arsenals to instill psychological pressure on their rivals. Yet in cyberspace, punishment has inherent flaws. 

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The Advantage of Asymmetry 

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For small states,  smaller geographical size can be utilised as a benefit. Three advantages of this exist, such as:

• With fewer critical infrastructures to protect,  resources can be concentrated. For example, Denmark, with a modest population of $40 million cyber budget, is considered to be among the most cyber-secure nations, despite receiving billions of US spending.  
• Smaller bureaucracies enable faster response. The centralised cyber command of Singapore allows it to ensure a rapid coordination between the government and the private sector. 
• Smaller countries with lesser populations can foster a higher public awareness and participation in cyber hygiene by amplifying national resilience.  

In short, defending a small digital fortress can be easier than securing a sprawling empire of interconnected systems. 

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Lessons from Estonia and Singapore 

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The 2007 crisis of Estonia remains a case study of cyber resilience. Although its government, bank, and media were targeted in offline mode, Estonia emerged stronger by investing heavily in cyber defense mechanisms. Another effort in this case stood was with the hosting of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence to build one of the world’s most resilient e-governance models. 

Singapore is another case. Where, recognising its vulnerability as a global financial hub, it has adopted a defense-centric deterrence strategy by focusing on redundancy, cyber education, and international partnership rather than offensive capacity. These approaches can also showcase that deterrence is not always about scaring attackers with retaliation, it is about making the attacks meaningless.  

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Cyber deterrence and Asymmetric Warfare

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Cyber conflict is understood through the lens of asymmetric warfare, where weaker actors exploit the unconventional and stronger foes. As guerrillas get outmanoeuvred by superpowers in Vietnam or Afghanistan, small states hold the capability to frustrate the cyber giants by turning their size into a shield. The essence of asymmetric cyber defence also lies in three principles, which can be mentioned as; 

• Resilience over retaliation by ensuring a rapid recovery to neutralise the goals of the attackers. 
• Undertaking smart investments focusing on limited budgets over critical assets, not sprawling infrastructures. 
• Leveraging norms to shape the international opinions to stigmatize the aggressors and increase the reputational costs. 

This also helps to transform the levels of cyber deterrence into a game of endurance rather than escalating it into a domain where small states can excel. 

There remain challenges as well, as attribution problems persist, the smaller nations still depend on foreign technology, which the adversaries have sought to exploit. Issues over the shortage of talent have plagued the small states, as cyber professionals have migrated to get lucrative jobs abroad. Moreover, building deterrence capability through norms requires active multilateral cooperation, which may not be possible for all small nations to sustain. 

Conclusion

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Cyberwarfare represents a new frontier of asymmetric conflict where size does not guarantee safety or supremacy. Great powers have often dominated the offensive cyber arsenals, where small states have carved their own path towards security by focusing on defence, resilience, and international collaboration. The examples of Singapore and Estonia demonstrate the fact that the small size of a state can be its identity of a hidden strength in capabilities like cyberspace, allowing nimbleness, concentration of resources and societal cohesion. In the long run, cyber deterrence for small states will not rest on fearsome retaliation but on making attacks futile and recovery inevitable. 

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References

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• https://bluegoatcyber.com/blog/asymmetric-warfare/
• https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2268&context=jss
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rising-tide-cyberwarfare-battle-between-superpowers-hussain/ 
• https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1243&context=gpis_etds
• https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=141708
• https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1243&context=gpis_etds 

Introduction:

Former Egyptian MP Ahmed Eltantawy was targeted with Cytrox’s predator spyware through links sent via SMS and WhatsApp. Former Egyptian MP Ahmed Eltantawy has been targeted with Cytrox’s Predator spyware in a campaign believed to be state-sponsored cyber espionage. After Eltantawy made his intention to run for president in the 2024 elections known, the targeting took place between May and September 2023. The spyware was distributed using links sent via SMS and WhatsApp, network injection, and visits to certain websites by Eltantawy. The Citizen Lab examined the assaults with the help of Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG), and they were able to acquire an iPhone zero-day exploit chain that was designed to be used to install spyware on iOS versions up to 16.6.1.

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Investigation: The Ahmed Eltantawy Incident

Eltantawy's device was forensically examined by The Citizen Lab, which uncovered several efforts to use Cytrox's Predator spyware to target him. In the investigation, The Citizen Lab and TAG discovered an iOS exploit chain utilised in the attacks against Eltantawy. They started a responsible disclosure procedure with Apple, and as a consequence, it resulted in the release of updates patching the vulnerabilities used by the exploit chain. Mobile zero-day exploit chains may be quite expensive, with black market values for them exceeding millions of dollars. The Citizen Lab also identified several domain names and IP addresses associated with Cytrox’s Predator spyware. Additionally, a network injection method was also utilised to get the malware onto Eltantawy's phone, according to the study. He would be discreetly routed to a malicious website using network injection when he went to certain websites that weren't HTTPS.

‍What is Cyber Espionage?

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Cyber espionage, also referred to as cyber spying, is a sort of cyberattack in which an unauthorised user tries to obtain confidential or sensitive information or intellectual property (IP) for financial gain, business benefit, or political objectives.

Apple's Response: A Look at iOS Vulnerability Patching

Users are advised to keep their devices up-to-date and enable lockdown Mode on iPhones. Former Egyptian MP targeted with predator spyware ahead of 2024 presidential run hence Update your macOS Ventura, iOS, and iPadOS devices, as Apple has released emergency updates to address the flaws. Apple has Released Emergency Updates Amid Citizen Lab’s Disclosure. Apple has issued three emergency updates for iOS, iPadOS (1), and macOS Ventura (2).

The updates address the following vulnerabilities:

CVE-2023-41991,

CVE-2023-41992,

CVE-2023-41993.

Apple customers are advised to immediately install these emergency security updates to protect themselves against potential targeted spyware attacks. By updating promptly, users will ensure that their devices are secure and cannot be compromised by such attacks exploiting these particular zero-day vulnerabilities. Hence it is advisable to maintain up-to-date software and enable security features in your Apple devices.

Conclusion:

Ahmed Eltantawy, a former Egyptian MP and presidential candidate, was targeted with Cytrox’s Predator spyware after announcing his bid for the presidency.  He was targeted by Cytrox Predator Spyware Campaign. Such an incident is believed to be State-Sponsored Cyber Espionage.  The incident raises the question of loss of privacy and shows the mala fide intention of the political opponents. The investigation Findings reveal that Ahmed Eltantawy was the victim of a sophisticated cyber espionage campaign that leveraged Cytrox’s Predator spyware. Apple advised that all users are urged to update their  Apple devices. This case raises alarming concerns about the lack of controls on the export of spyware technologies and underscores the importance of security updates and lockdown modes on Apple devices.

References:

• https://uksnackattack.co.uk/predator-in-the-wires-ahmed-eltantawy-targeted-by-predator-spyware-upon-presidential-ambitions-announcement
• https://citizenlab.ca/2023/09/predator-in-the-wires-ahmed-eltantawy-targeted-with-predator-spyware-after-announcing-presidential-ambitions/#:~:text=Between%20May%20and%20September%202023,in%20the%202024%20Egyptian%20elections.
• https://thehackernews.com/2023/09/latest-apple-zero-days-used-to-hack.html
• https://www.hackread.com/zero-day-ios-exploit-chain-predator-spyware/

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Executive Summary

A claim is being shared on social media alleging that two women were shot dead and their homes were set on fire in Manipur. The post alleges that the Indian Army carried out the attack on the orders of Lieutenant General V. M. Bhuvana Krishnan, Commander of the Eastern Command. CyberPeace Research found the claim to be false. According to available reports, suspected militants attacked a hill village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. During an exchange of fire with security forces, the attackers set at least two houses on fire.

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Claim:

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The Indian Army, on the orders of Eastern Command Commander Lieutenant General V. M. Bhuvana Krishnan, shot two women in Manipur and set their homes on fire, following which the situation in the state deteriorated severely.

https://x.com/indiantiwari01/status/2100204995425743103?s=20 

https://archive.ph/SOm7I

Fact Check

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To verify the viral claim, we conducted a Google search using relevant keywords. During the search, we found a report published on The Times of India website on September 16, 2026. According to the report, suspected militants attacked a hill village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday night and set at least two houses on fire. Security forces engaged the attackers in an exchange of fire during the incident.According to officials, a large number of militants armed with sophisticated weapons attacked Chawangkining Naga village at around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The attack took place hours after two Kuki women were shot dead at Leisangphai village in neighbouring Tamenglong district.CRPF personnel deployed in the nearby area returned fire, triggering intermittent firing that continued for nearly six hours until around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.An official said, “Intermittent firing was reported for nearly six hours till 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The CRPF returned fire, preventing the militants from entering the village.” He added that two wooden houses on the outskirts of the village were nevertheless set ablaze.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/militants-torch-2-houses-in-manipur-village-trade-fire-with-crpf/articleshow/134277946.cms 

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As part of our further investigation, we conducted a reverse image search of keyframes from the video. During the search, we found the visuals from the viral video on the YouTube channel of @ukhrultimes. According to the accompanying information, intermittent firing continued for nearly six hours in Chawangkining Naga village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on the night of September 15, 2026. During the incident, two houses on the outskirts of the village were completely burnt down, while several others were damaged.According to local reports, suspected militants targeted the village despite the deployment of CRPF personnel in the area and engaged in an exchange of fire with security forces. Meanwhile, the Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur (LNC-M), condemned the attack and alleged that suspected Kuki militants operating from the Songtung Suspension of Operations (SoO) camp were behind the firing. However, these allegations regarding the identity of the attackers should be reported as allegations and should not be presented as independently verified facts.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QuZ2FoLyA5A 

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At the end of our investigation, we found a report published on The Hindu website on September 16, 2026. According to the report, officials said that suspected militants had attacked Chawangkining Naga village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. During the attack, they engaged in an exchange of fire with security forces and set at least two houses on the outskirts of the village on fire. The report quoted an official as saying that a large number of militants armed with sophisticated weapons attacked the village at around 10:30 p.m. on September 15. The incident took place hours after two Kuki women were shot dead in Leisangphai village in neighbouring Tamenglong district.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/manipur/militants-burn-down-two-houses-in-manipur-village-exchange-fire-with-security-forces/article71471093.ece 

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Conclusion

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Our investigation revealed that separate incidents of the killing of two women and the burning of their houses in Manipur are being falsely shared on social media, claiming them to be actions taken by the Indian Army. According to available reports, on September 15, 2026, two Kuki women were shot dead by unidentified armed assailants in Leisangphai village, Tamenglong district. On the same night, suspected militants attacked Chawangkining Naga village, Kangpokpi district. Security forces exchanged fire, and two houses on the outskirts of the village were set on fire. No credible report has confirmed the links between these incidents and the orders of the Indian Army or Eastern Command Commander Lieutenant General V.M. Bhuvana Krishnan. Therefore, the claim that the Indian Army shot two women and set their houses on fire by linking the two incidents is false and misleading.

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