#FactCheck- Marco Rubio Video Digitally Manipulated to Falsely Claim India First Sought Ceasefire from Pakistan

Executive Summary:

Recently, a viral post on social media claiming that actor Allu Arjun visited a Shiva temple to pray in celebration after the success of his film, PUSHPA 2. The post features an image of him visiting the temple. However, an investigation has determined that this photo is from 2017 and does not relate to the film's release.

Claims:

The claim states that Allu Arjun recently visited a Shiva temple to express his thanks for the success of Pushpa 2, featuring a photograph that allegedly captures this moment.

Fact Check:

The image circulating on social media, that Allu Arjun visited a Shiva temple to celebrate the success of Pushpa 2, is misleading. 

After conducting a reverse image search, we confirmed that this photograph is from 2017, taken during the actor's visit to the Tirumala Temple for a personal event, well before Pushpa 2  was ever announced. The context has been altered to falsely connect it to the film's success. Additionally, there is no credible evidence or recent reports to support the claim that Allu Arjun visited a temple for this specific reason, making the assertion entirely baseless.

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Before sharing viral posts, take a brief moment to verify the facts. Misinformation spreads quickly and it’s far better to rely on trusted fact-checking sources.

Conclusion:

The claim that Allu Arjun visited a Shiva temple to celebrate the success of Pushpa 2 is false. The image circulating is actually from an earlier time. This situation illustrates how misinformation can spread when an old photo is used to construct a misleading story. Before sharing viral posts, take a moment to verify the facts. Misinformation spreads quickly, and it is far better to rely on trusted fact-checking sources.

• Claim: The image claims Allu Arjun visited Shiva temple after Pushpa 2’s success.
• Claimed On: Facebook
• Fact Check: False and Misleading

Executive Summary

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A video is going viral on social media in which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is seen allegedly saying, “During Operation Sindoor, we initially hid the losses of jets and soldiers so that Pakistan could not use them for propaganda. Later, a documentary was made to reveal the truth.” Research by the CyberPeace Research Wing found that the video is completely fake and was created using artificial intelligence (AI). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh never made any such statement. The video has primarily been circulated by Pakistani accounts. 

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Claim:

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A video of Rajnath Singh has been shared by a Pakistani user on the social media platform X, with the caption: “Rajnath Singh while commenting on Operation Sindoor documentary makes a starting revelation, Initially we did not admit any jet or soldier losses to avoid giving any propaganda chances for Pakistan but then we made this documentary to tell the truth.” The post link and screenshot are provided below.

https://x.com/i/status/2091095915021193252 

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Fact Check:

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To investigate the viral claim, we first extracted keyframes from the video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During this process, we found the original video on ANI’s X account, in which Defense Minister Rajnath Singh can be seen saying: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, “The remarks made yesterday in the Lok Sabha by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s foreign policy are extremely cheap and condemnable. Personally, this is painful for me as well. In my long political life, I have never seen such unbecoming and unthinkable behavior from any Leader of Opposition. Such conduct poses a serious threat to a healthy democracy. Rahul Gandhi may feel disappointment toward the Prime Minister, but such improper remarks are unacceptable—especially when PM Modi has elevated India’s national and international prestige and paved the way for a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Working with complete dedication for 12 years, he has not taken a single day off. Such unbecoming remarks against such a Prime Minister pain every Indian I would also humbly like to ask the Congress Party: after such language and conduct, can it still claim the legacy of great stalwarts ranging from Lal-Bal-Pal and Gandhi, Patel, Nehru to Subhas Babu, Rajendra Babu, Shastri Ji, Narasimha Rao Ji, and Pranab Mukherjee? Through this behavior, Rahul Gandhi has not only insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also damaged India’s international reputation. He has tarnished the dignity of the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. I cannot even imagine that anyone carrying the surname 'Gandhi' could make such a shameful remark.” Throughout the entire video, he never made the statement attributed to him in the viral claim. The post link and screenshot are provided below.

https://x.com/ANI/status/2088230045102002466 

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We scanned the audio on the AI detection tool Resemble AI, where the results confirmed that the voice is AI-generated.

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We also scanned the clip on another AI detection tool, Detect Video AI, where the results indicated that the viral video is 57 percent AI-generated.

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Conclusion:

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Our research revealed that the viral video is completely fake and was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The research confirmed that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made no such statement. It was also revealed during the fact-check that this fake video is being primarily circulated on social media through Pakistani accounts.

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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.