#FactCheck- Pakistan Video Falsely Shared as Attack on Army in West Bengal
Executive Summary:
Assembly elections are underway in several Indian states, including West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. While voting has already taken place in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, polling is still pending in West Bengal. In view of the elections, central security forces have been deployed across West Bengal. Amid this, a video showing a group of people pelting stones at a security vehicle is being widely shared on social media. Some users claim that the incident took place in West Bengal and allege that Muslims attacked an army vehicle. However, research by CyberPeace found the claim to be false. The viral video is from Pakistan and has no connection to West Bengal.
Claim
A social media user shared the video on April 5, 2026, claiming that an army vehicle was attacked in West Bengal.
Post links:
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to a video posted on a Facebook page on October 13, 2025. The caption of that post indicated that the video was from Lahore, showing clashes between members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik and the police.
Further clues in the video also pointed to Pakistan. A shop sign reading “Lovely Drink Corner” is visible in the footage. A Google search confirmed that this establishment is located in Lahore, Pakistan.
Conclusion
The viral claim is misleading. Although central forces have been deployed in West Bengal for the ongoing elections, the video showing stone-pelting on a security vehicle is not from the state. It is an old video from Lahore, Pakistan, and is being falsely shared with a communal angle to mislead users.
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Introduction
26th November 2024 marked a historical milestone for India as a Hyderabad-based space technology firm TakeMe2Space, announced the forthcoming launch of MOI-TD “(My Orbital Infrastructure - Technology Demonstrator)”, India's first AI lab in space. The mission will demonstrate real-time data processing in orbit, making space research more affordable and accessible according to the Company. The launch is scheduled for mid-December 2024 aboard the ISRO's PSLV C60 launch vehicle. It represents a transformative phase for innovation and exploration in India's AI and space technology integration space.
The Vision Behind the Initiative
The AI Laboratory in orbit is designed to enable autonomous decision-making, revolutionising satellite exploration and advancing cutting-edge space research. It signifies a major step toward establishing space-based data centres, paving the way for computing capabilities that will support a variety of applications.
While space-based data centres currently cost 10–15 times more than terrestrial alternatives, this initiative leverages high-intensity solar power in orbit to significantly reduce energy consumption. Training AI models in space could lower energy costs by up to 95% and cut carbon emissions by at least tenfold, even when factoring in launch emissions. It positions MOI-TD as an eco-friendly and cost-efficient solution.
Technological Innovations and Future Impact of AI in Space
This AI Laboratory, MOI-TD includes control software and hardware components, including reaction wheels, magnetometers, an advanced onboard computer, and an AI accelerator. The satellite also features flexible solar cells that could power future satellites. It will enable the processing of real-time space data, pattern recognition, and autonomous decision-making and address the latency issues, ensuring faster and more efficient data analysis, while the robust hardware designs tackle the challenges posed by radiation and extreme space environments. Advanced sensor integration will further enhance data collection, facilitating AI model training and validation.
These innovations drive key applications with transformative potential. It will allow users to access the satellite platform through OrbitLaw, a web-based console that will allow users to upload AI models to aid climate monitoring, disaster prediction, urban growth analysis and custom Earth observation use cases. TakeMe2Space has already partnered with a leading Malaysian university and an Indian school (grades 9 and 10) to showcase the satellite’s potential for democratizing space research.
Future Prospects and India’s Global Leadership in AI and Space Research
As per Stanford’s HAI Global AI Vibrancy rankings, India secured 4th place due to its R&D leadership, vibrant AI ecosystem, and public engagement for AI. This AI laboratory is a step further in advancing India’s role in the development of regulatory frameworks for ethical AI use, fostering robust public-private partnerships, and promoting international cooperation to establish global standards for AI applications.
Cost-effectiveness and technological exercise are some of India’s unique strengths and could position the country as a key player in the global AI and space research arena and draw favourable comparisons with initiatives by NASA, ESA, and private entities like SpaceX. By prioritising ethical and sustainable practices and fostering collaboration, India can lead in shaping the future of AI-driven space exploration.
Conclusion
India’s first AI laboratory in space, MOI-TD, represents a transformative milestone in integrating AI with space technology. This ambitious project promises to advance autonomous decision-making, enhance satellite exploration, and democratise space research. Additionally, factors such as data security, fostering international collaboration and ensuring sustainability should be taken into account while fostering such innovations. With this, India can establish itself as a leader in space research and AI innovation, setting new global standards while inspiring a future where technology expands humanity’s frontiers and enriches life on Earth.
References
- https://www.ptinews.com/story/national/start-up-to-launch-ai-lab-in-space-in-december/2017534
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/startups/spacetech-startup-takeme2space-to-launch-ai-lab-in-space-in-december/articleshow/115701888.cms?from=mdr
- https://www.ibm.com/think/news/data-centers-space
- https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/next-gen-technologies/spacetech-startup-takeme2space-to-launch-ai-lab-in-space-in-december/115718230
Executive Summary
A video is being widely shared on social media, claiming it shows a terrifying scene from a recent earthquake in Venezuela. The 9-second clip shows a multi-storey building collapsing like a house of cards, while people nearby are seen running in panic as chaos unfolds. The video is being widely circulated by users as evidence of massive destruction caused by the alleged earthquake in Venezuela. CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be misleading. The viral video has no connection to any recent earthquake in Venezuela. In fact, the footage is from a completely different event that took place nearly three years ago in Turkey. It is being falsely shared with a wrong context on social media.
Claim:
A Facebook user shared the viral video with the caption: “The most dangerous earthquake in 126 years! At least 10,000 deaths in Venezuela earthquake, shocking claim by USGS. Reports say massive destruction has occurred, Caracas airport has also been destroyed. Statement by Yogi Adityanath after Bharat Tiwari’s encounter.” The post link, archived link, and screenshots are provided below.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2438255879794217/posts/4830038697282578/
FactCheck
To verify the claim, we performed a reverse image search of the video keyframes using Google Lens. During the search, we found the same video on WION’s Facebook page, where it was published on February 6, 2023. The original post link and screenshots are provided below. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=917786002738401
The original caption of the video clearly states that it shows a building collapse in Sanliurfa, Turkey, occurring hours after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country. Based on clues from the Facebook post, we further searched using relevant keywords and found a report published by The Guardian on February 6, 2023, which also included the viral footage. https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2023/feb/06/building-collapses-earthquake-aftershock-turkey-video
The report confirms that the video is from the aftermath of the devastating 2023 Turkey earthquake in Sanliurfa, not Venezuela.
Conclusion:
Our research confirms that the viral video has no connection to any recent earthquake in Venezuela. The footage is actually from the 2023 Turkey earthquake and is being falsely shared with a misleading context on social media.
Overview:
After the blackout on July 19, 2024, which affected CrowdStrike’s services worldwide, cybercriminals began to launch many phishing attacks and distribute malware. These activities mainly affect CrowdStrike customers, using the confusion as a way to extort information through fake support sites. The analysis carried out by the Research Wing of CyberPeace and Autobot Infosec has identified several phishing links and malicious campaigns.
The Exploitation:
Cyber adversaries have registered domains that are similar to CrowdStrike’s brand and have opened fake accounts on social media platforms. These are fake platforms that are employed to defraud users into surrendering their personal and sensitive details for use in other fraudulent activities.
Phishing Campaign Links:
- crowdstrike-helpdesk[.]com
- crowdstrikebluescreen[.]com
- crowdstrike-bsod[.]com
- crowdstrikedown[.]site
- crowdstrike0day[.]com
- crowdstrikedoomsday[.]com
- crowdstrikefix[.]com
- crashstrike[.]com
- crowdstriketoken[.]com
- fix-crowdstrike-bsod[.]com
- bsodsm8r[.]xamzgjedu[.]com
- crowdstrikebsodfix[.]blob[.]core[.]windows[.]net
- crowdstrikecommuication[.]app
- fix-crowdstrike-apocalypse[.]com
- supportportal-crowdstrike-com[.]translate[.]goog
- crowdstrike-cloudtrail-storage-bb-126d5e[.]s3[.]us-west-1[.]amazonaws[.]com
- crowdstrikeoutage[.]info
- clownstrike[.]co[.]uk
- crowdstrikebsod[.]com
- whatiscrowdstrike[.]com
- clownstrike[.]co
- microsoftcrowdstrike[.]com
- crowdfalcon-immed-update[.]com
- crowdstuck[.]org
- failstrike[.]com
- winsstrike[.]com
- crowdpass[.]com
In one case, a PDF file is being circulated with CrowdStrike branding, saying ‘Download The Updater,’ which is a link to a ZIP file. The ZIP file is a compressed file that has an executable file with a virus. This is a clear sign that the hackers are out to take advantage of the current situation by releasing the malware as an update.
In another case, there is a malicious Microsoft Word document that is currently being shared, which claims to offer a solution on how to deal with this CrowdStrike BSOD bug. But there is a hidden risk in the document. When users follow the instructions and enable the embedded macro, it triggers the download of an information-stealing malware from a remote host. This is a form of malware that is used to steal information and is not well recognized by most security software. Also it sends the stolen data to the samesame remote host but with different port number, which likey works as the CnC server for the campaign.
- Name New_Recovery_Tool_to_help_with_CrowdStrike_issue_impacting_Windows[.]docm
- MD5 dd2100dfa067caae416b885637adc4ef
- SHA-1 499f8881f4927e7b4a1a0448f62c60741ea6d44b
- SHA-256 803727ccdf441e49096f3fd48107a5fe55c56c080f46773cd649c9e55ec1be61
- URLS http://172.104.160[.]126:8099/payload2.txt, http://172.104.160[.]126:5000/Uploadss
Recent Outage Impact:
On July 19, 2024, CrowdStrike faced a global outage that originated from an update of its Falcon Sensor security software. This outage affected many government organizations and companies in different industries, such as finance, media, and telecommunications. The event led to numerous complaints from the users who experienced problems like blue screen of death and system failure. Although, CrowdStrike has admitted to the problem and is in the process of fixing it.
Preventive Measures:
- Organize regular awareness sessions to educate the employees about the phishing techniques and how they can avoid the phishing scams, emails, links, and websites.
- MFA should be used for login to the sensitive accounts and systems for an improvement on the security levels.
- Make sure all security applications including the antivirus and anti-malware are up to date to help in the detection of phishing scams.
- This includes putting in place of measures such as alert on account activity or login patterns to facilitate early detection of phishing attempts.
- Encourage employees and users to inform the IT department as soon as they have any suspicions regarding phishing attempts.
Conclusion:
The recent CrowdStrike outage is a perfect example of how cybercriminals take advantage of the situation and user’s confusion and anxiety. Thus, people and organizations can keep themselves from these threats and maintain the confidentiality of their information by being cautious and adhering to the proper standards. To get the current information on the BSOD problem and the detailed instructions on its solution, visit CrowdStrike’s support center. Reported problems should be handled with caution and regular backup should be made to minimize the effects.
References:
- https://app.any.run/tasks/2c0ffc87-4059-4d6f-8306-1258cf33aa54/
- https://app.any.run/tasks/48e18e33-2007-49a8-aa60-d04c21e8fa11
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/19001dd441e50233d7f0addb4fcd405a70ac3d5e310ff20b331d6f1a29c634f0/relations
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/803727ccdf441e49096f3fd48107a5fe55c56c080f46773cd649c9e55ec1be61/detection
- https://www.joesandbox.com/analysis/1478411#iocs
