#FactCheck-A manipulated image showing Indian cricketer Virat Kohli allegedly watching Rahul Gandhi's media briefing on his mobile phone has been widely shared online.
Executive Summary:
A fake photo claiming to show the cricketer Virat Kohli watching a press conference by Rahul Gandhi before a match, has been widely shared on social media. The original photo shows Kohli on his phone with no trace of Gandhi. The incident is claimed to have happened on March 21, 2024, before Kohli's team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), played Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Many Social Media accounts spread the false image and made it viral.
Claims:
The viral photo falsely claims Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was watching a press conference by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his phone before an IPL match. Many Social media handlers shared it to suggest Kohli's interest in politics. The photo was shared on various platforms including some online news websites.
Fact Check:
After we came across the viral image posted by social media users, we ran a reverse image search of the viral image. Then we landed on the original image posted by an Instagram account named virat__.forever_ on 21 March.
The caption of the Instagram post reads, “VIRAT KOHLI CHILLING BEFORE THE SHOOT FOR JIO ADVERTISEMENT COMMENCE.❤️”
Evidently, there is no image of Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi on the Phone of Virat Kohli. Moreover, the viral image was published after the original image, which was posted on March 21.
Therefore, it’s apparent that the viral image has been altered, borrowing the original image which was shared on March 21.
Conclusion:
To sum up, the Viral Image is altered from the original image, the original image caption tells Cricketer Virat Kohli chilling Before the Jio Advertisement commences but not watching any politician Interview. This shows that in the age of social media, where false information can spread quickly, critical thinking and fact-checking are more important than ever. It is crucial to check if something is real before sharing it, to avoid spreading false stories.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A viral video allegedly featuring cricketer Virat Kohli endorsing a betting app named ‘Aviator’ is being shared widely across the social platform. CyberPeace Research Team’s Investigations revealed that the same has been made using the deepfake technology. In the viral video, we found some potential anomalies that can be said to have been created using Synthetic Media, also no genuine celebrity endorsements for the app exist, we have also previously debunked such Deep Fake videos of cricketer Virat Kohli regarding the misuse of deep fake technology. The spread of such content underscores the need for social media platforms to implement robust measures to combat online scams and misinformation.
Claims:
The claim made is that a video circulating on social media depicts Indian cricketer Virat Kohli endorsing a betting app called "Aviator." The video features an Indian News channel named India TV, where the journalist reportedly endorses the betting app followed by Virat Kohli's experience with the betting app.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the news, we thoroughly watched the video and found some featured anomalies that are usually found in regular deep fake videos such as the lip sync of the journalist is not proper, and if we see it carefully the lips do not match with the audio that we can hear in the Video. It’s the same case when Virat Kohli Speaks in the video.
We then divided the video into keyframes and reverse searched one of the frames from the Kohli’s part, we found a video similar to the one spread, where we could see Virat Kohli wearing the same brown jacket in that video, uploaded on his verified Instagram handle which is an ad promotion in collaboration with American Tourister.
After going through the entire video, it is evident that Virat Kohli is not endorsing any betting app, rather he is talking about an ad promotion collaborating with American Tourister.
We then did some keyword searches to see if India TV had published any news as claimed in the Viral Video, but we didn’t find any credible source.
Therefore, upon noticing the major anomalies in the video and doing further analysis found that the video was created using Synthetic Media, it's a fake and misleading one.
Conclusion:
The video of Virat Kohli promoting a betting app is fake and does not actually feature the celebrity endorsing the app. This brings up many concerns regarding how Artificial Intelligence is being used for fraudulent activities. Social media platforms need to take action against the spread of fake videos like these.
Claim: Video surfacing on social media shows Indian cricket star Virat Kohli promoting a betting application known as "Aviator."
Claimed on: Facebook
Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Executive Summary:
A viral post on X (formerly twitter) shared with misleading captions about Gautam Adani being arrested in public for fraud, bribery and corruption. The charges accuse him, his nephew Sagar Adani and 6 others of his group allegedly defrauding American investors and orchestrating a bribery scheme to secure a multi-billion-dollar solar energy project awarded by the Indian government. Always verify claims before sharing posts/photos as this came out to be AI-generated.
Claim:
An image circulating of public arrest after a US court accused Gautam Adani and executives of bribery.
Fact Check:
There are multiple anomalies as we can see in the picture attached below, (highlighted in red circle) the police officer grabbing Adani’s arm has six fingers. Adani’s other hand is completely absent. The left eye of an officer (marked in blue) is inconsistent with the right. The faces of officers (marked in yellow and green circles) appear distorted, and another officer (shown in pink circle) appears to have a fully covered face. With all this evidence the picture is too distorted for an image to be clicked by a camera.
A thorough examination utilizing AI detection software concluded that the image was synthetically produced.
Conclusion:
A viral image circulating of the public arrest of Gautam Adani after a US court accused of bribery. After analysing the image, it is proved to be an AI-Generated image and there is no authentic information in any news articles. Such misinformation spreads fast and can confuse and harm public perception. Always verify the image by checking for visual inconsistency and using trusted sources to confirm authenticity.
- Claim: Gautam Adani arrested in public by law enforcement agencies
- Claimed On: Instagram and X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
Introduction
The digital realm is evolving at a rapid pace, revolutionising cyberspace at a breakneck speed. However, this dynamic growth has left several operational and regulatory lacunae in the fabric of cyberspace, which are exploited by cybercriminals for their ulterior motives. One of the threats that emerged rapidly in 2024 is proxyjacking, in which vulnerable systems are exploited by cyber criminals to sell their bandwidth to third-party proxy servers. This cyber threat poses a significant threat to organisations and individual servers.
Proxyjacking is a kind of cyber attack that leverages legit bandwidth sharing services such as Peer2Profit and HoneyGain. These are legitimate platforms but proxyjacking occurs when such services are exploited without user consent. These services provide the opportunity to monetize their surplus internet bandwidth by sharing with other users. The model itself is harmless but provides an avenue for numerous cyber hostilities. The participants install net-sharing software and add the participating system to the proxy network, enabling users to route their traffic through the system. This setup intends to enhance privacy and provide access to geo-locked content.
The Modus Operandi
These systems are hijacked by cybercriminals, who sell the bandwidth of infected devices. This is achieved by establishing Secure Shell (SSH) connections to vulnerable servers. While hackers rarely use honeypots to render elaborate scams, the technical possibility of them doing so cannot be discounted. Cowrie Honeypots, for instance, are engineered to emulate UNIX systems. Attackers can use similar tactics to gain unauthorized access to poorly secured systems. Once inside the system, attackers utilise legit tools such as public docker images to take over proxy monetization services. These tools are undetectable to anti-malware software due to being genuine software in and of themselves. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools also struggle with the same threats.
The Major Challenges
Limitation Of Current Safeguards – current malware detection software is unable to distinguish between malicious and genuine use of bandwidth services, as the nature of the attack is not inherently malicious.
Bigger Threat Than Crypto-Jacking – Proxyjacking poses a bigger threat than cryptojacking, where systems are compromised to mine crypto-currency. Proxyjacking uses minimal system resources rendering it more challenging to identify. As such, proxyjacking offers perpetrators a higher degree of stealth because it is a resource-light technique, whereas cryptojacking can leave CPU and GPU usage footprints.
Role of Technology in the Fight Against Proxyjacking
Advanced Safety Measures- Implementing advanced safety measures is crucial in combating proxyjacking. Network monitoring tools can help detect unusual traffic patterns indicative of proxyjacking. Key-based authentication for SSH can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access, ensuring that only trusted devices can establish connections. Intrusion Detection Systems and Intrusion Prevention Systems can go a long way towards monitoring unusual outbound traffic.
Robust Verification Processes- sharing services must adopt robust verification processes to ensure that only legitimate users are sharing bandwidth. This could include stricter identity verification methods and continuous monitoring of user activities to identify and block suspicious behaviour.
Policy Recommendations
Verification for Bandwidth Sharing Services – Mandatory verification standards should be enforced for bandwidth-sharing services, including stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols to verify the identity of users. A strong regulatory body would ensure proper compliance with verification standards and impose penalties. The transparency reports must document the user base, verification processes and incidents.
Robust SSH Security Protocols – Key-based authentication for SSH across organisations should be mandated, to neutralize the risk of brute force attacks. Mandatory security audits of SSH configuration within organisations to ensure best practices are complied with and vulnerabilities are identified will help. Detailed logging of SSH attempts will streamline the process of identification and investigation of suspicious behaviour.
Effective Anomaly Detection System – Design a standard anomaly detection system to monitor networks. The industry-wide detection system should focus on detecting inconsistencies in traffic patterns indicating proxy-jacking. Establishing mandatory protocols for incident reporting to centralised authority should be implemented. The system should incorporate machine learning in order to stay abreast with evolving attack methodologies.
Framework for Incident Response – A national framework should include guidelines for investigation, response and remediation to be followed by organisations. A centralized database can be used for logging and tracking all proxy hacking incidents, allowing for information sharing on a real-time basis. This mechanism will aid in identifying emerging trends and common attack vectors.
Whistleblower Incentives – Enacting whistleblower protection laws will ensure the proper safety of individuals reporting proxyjacking activities. Monetary rewards provide extra incentives and motivate individuals to join whistleblowing programs. To provide further protection to whistleblowers, secure communication channels can be established which will ensure full anonymity to individuals.
Conclusion
Proxyjacking represents an insidious and complicated threat in cyberspace. By exploiting legitimate bandwidth-sharing services, cybercriminals can profit while remaining entirely anonymous. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including advanced anomaly detection systems, effective verification systems, and comprehensive incident response frameworks. These measures of strong cyber awareness among netizens will ensure a healthy and robust cyberspace.
References
- https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/what-is-proxyjacking/
- https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/ssh-servers-hit-in-proxyjacking-cyberattacks
- https://therecord.media/hackers-use-log4j-in-proxyjacking-scheme
