#FactCheck-Air Taxi is a prototype and is not launched to commercial public

What are Decentralised Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)?

A Decentralised Autonomous Organisation or a DAO, is a unique take on democracy on the blockchain. It is a set of rules encoded into a self-executing contract (also known as a smart contract) that operates autonomously on a blockchain system. A DAO imitates a traditional company, although, in its more literal sense, it is a contractually created entity. In theory, DAOs have no centralised authority in making decisions for the system; it is a communally run system whereby all decisions (be it for internal governance or for the development of the blockchain system) are voted upon by the community members. DAOs are primarily characterised by a decentralised form of operation, where there is no one entity, group or individual running the system. They are self-sustaining entities, having their own currency, economy and even governance, that do not depend on a group of individuals to operate. Blockchain systems, especially DAOs are characterised by pure autonomy created to evade external coercion or manipulation from sovereign powers. DAOs follow a mutually created, agreed set of rules created by the community, that dictates all actions, activities, and participation in the system’s governance. There may also be provisions that regulate the decision-making power of the community.

Ethereum’s DAO’s White Paper described DAO as “The first implementation of a [DAO Entity] code to automate organisational governance and decision making.” Can be used by individuals working together collaboratively outside of a traditional corporate form.  It can also be used by a registered corporate entity to automate formal governance rules contained in corporate bylaws or imposed by law.”  The referred white paper proposes an entity that would use smart contracts to solve governance issues inherent in traditional corporations.  DAOs attempt to redesign corporate governance with blockchain such that contractual terms are “formalised, automated and enforced using software.”

Cybersecurity threats under DAOs

While DAOs offer increased transparency and efficiency, they are not immune to cybersecurity threats. Cybersecurity risks in DAO, primarily in governance, stem from vulnerabilities in the underlying blockchain technology and the DAO's smart contracts. Smart contract exploits, code vulnerabilities, and weaknesses in the underlying blockchain protocol can be exploited by malicious actors, leading to unauthorised access, fund manipulations, or disruptions in the governance process. Additionally, DAOs may face challenges related to phishing attacks, where individuals are tricked into revealing sensitive information, such as private keys, compromising the integrity of the governance structure. As DAOs continue to evolve, addressing and mitigating cybersecurity threats is crucial to ensuring the trust and reliability of decentralised governance mechanisms.

Centralisation/Concentration of Power

DAOs today actively try to leverage on-chain governance, where any governance votes or transactions are directly taken on the blockchain. But such governance is often plutocratic in nature, where the wealthy hold influences, rather than democracies, since those who possess the requisite number of tokens are only allowed to vote and each token staked implies that many numbers of votes emerge from the same individual. This concentration of power in the hands of “whales” often creates disadvantages for the newer entrants into the system who may have an in-depth background but lack the funds to cast a vote. Voting, presently in the blockchain sphere, lacks the requisite concept of “one man, one vote” which is critical in democratic societies.

Smart contract vulnerabilities and external threats

Smart contracts, self-executing pieces of code on a blockchain, are integral to decentralised applications and platforms. Despite their potential, smart contracts are susceptible to various vulnerabilities such as coding errors, where mistakes in the code can lead to funds being locked or released erroneously. Some of them have been mentioned as follows;

Smart Contracts are most prone to re-entrance attacks whereby an untrusted external code is allowed to be executed in a smart contract. This scenario occurs when a smart contract invokes an external contract, and the external contract subsequently re-invokes the initial contract. This sequence of events can lead to an infinite loop, and a reentrancy attack is a tactic exploiting this vulnerability in a smart contract. It enables an attacker to repeatedly invoke a function within the contract, potentially creating an endless loop and gaining unauthorised access to funds.

Additionally, smart contracts are also prone to oracle problems. Oracles refer to third-party services or mechanisms that provide smart contracts with real-world data. Since smart contracts on blockchain networks operate in a decentralised, isolated environment, they do not have direct access to external information, such as market prices, weather conditions, or sports scores. Oracles bridge this gap by acting as intermediaries, fetching and delivering off-chain data to smart contracts, enabling them to execute based on real-world conditions. The oracle problem within blockchain pertains to the difficulty of securely incorporating external data into smart contracts. The reliability of external data poses a potential vulnerability, as oracles may be manipulated or provide inaccurate information. This challenge jeopardises the credibility of blockchain applications that rely on precise and timely external data.

Sybil Attack: A Sybil attack involves a single node managing multiple active fake identities, known as Sybil identities, concurrently within a peer-to-peer network. The objective of such an attack is to weaken the authority or influence within a trustworthy system by acquiring the majority of control in the network. The fake identities are utilised to establish and exert this influence. A successful Sybil attack allows threat actors to perform unauthorised actions in the system.

Distributed Denial of Service Attacks: A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the regular functioning of a network, service, or website by overwhelming it with a flood of traffic. In a typical DDoS attack, multiple compromised computers or devices, often part of a botnet (a network of infected machines controlled by a single entity), are used to generate a massive volume of requests or data traffic. The targeted system becomes unable to respond to legitimate user requests due to the excessive traffic, leading to a denial of service.

Conclusion

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) represent a pioneering approach to governance on the blockchain, relying on smart contracts and community-driven decision-making. Despite their potential for increased transparency and efficiency, DAOs are not immune to cybersecurity threats. Vulnerabilities in smart contracts, such as reentrancy attacks and oracle problems, pose significant risks, and the concentration of voting power among wealthy token holders raises concerns about democratic principles. As DAOs continue to evolve, addressing these challenges is essential to ensuring the resilience and trustworthiness of decentralised governance mechanisms. Efforts to enhance security measures, promote inclusivity, and refine governance models will be crucial in establishing DAOs as robust and reliable entities in the broader landscape of blockchain technology.

References:

‍https://www.imperva.com/learn/application-security/sybil-attack/

‍https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/blockchain-security-understanding-vulnerabilities-and-mitigating-risks

‍https://medium.com/@RedStone_Finance/the-oracle-problem-and-its-implications-for-blockchains-c0c0ad9cf5a7

‍https://www.linkedin.com/posts/satish-kulkarni-bb96193_what-are-cybersecurity-risk-to-dao-and-how-activity-7048286955645677568-B3pV/ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-ddosdistributed-denial-of-service/ Report of Investigation Pursuant to Section 21 (a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: The DAO, Securities and Exchange Board, Release No. 81207/ July 25, 2017

‍https://www.sec.gov/litigation/investreport/34-81207.pdf https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-10921-blockchain-based-decentralized-autonomous-organizations-daos-.html

Introduction

Social media platforms serve as an ideal breeding ground for cybercrime. A new fraud called ‘WhatsApp Pink’ has emerged, promising new features and an improved UI. Several law enforcement and government agencies have already issued severe caution against the program, which is used to hack mobile phones and steal personal information.

What is a pink WhatsApp Scam?

WhatsApp is on a roll with new features, but the messaging app is also experiencing an increase in a new type of scam. The WhatsApp Pink scam, as it is known, is gaining steam. Police and government organisations in several states, including Mumbai, Kerala, and Karnataka, have warned about the scam. A North Region cybercrime wing tweet warned, “WHATSAPP PINK – A Red Alert for Android Users.” The government’s cybersecurity organisations have warned about the rise in pink WhatsApp scams.

Scammers and hackers target WhatsApp users with fake messages via the network in this scam. According to reports, the message contains a link directing users to download WhatsApp Pink, a bogus messaging program. According to sources, scammers are targeting many people with the promise that the next version will have a better interface and additional features.

The application also steals critical financial information such as OTP, bank account information, and contact information. When people open the link, harmful software is installed on their mobile phones, and scammers get access to the phones. The user may even lose access to their phone by downloading the app.

According to the advisory

The news about ‘New Pink Look WhatsApp with extra features’ recently circulating among WhatsApp users is a hoax that can lead to hacking of your mobile through malicious software.” It is uncommon for fraudsters to devise new tricks and methods to entice naive consumers into falling into their trap and committing cyber fraud. It is the users’ responsibility to be Aware, Alert, and Attentive to these types of frauds in order to be safe and secure in the digital world.”

The link that is present in the message, according to a notice from the police, is a phishing effort. By clicking the link, the user runs the risk of having their device compromised, which might allow scammers to steal their device information or use it without their permission.

Users run the possibility of suffering negative outcomes if they click the Pink WhatsApp link, as the Mumbai Police have warned. These dangers include financial loss, identity theft, spam attacks, unauthorised access to contact information and saved images, and even total loss of control over mobile devices.

Guidelines against the Scam

• If a user has installed the fake WhatsApp, the authorities have instructed that they uninstall it immediately by going into the mobile settings, selecting WhatsApp with the pink logo in Apps, and then uninstalling it.
• Users have been advised to exercise caution when clicking links from untrustworthy websites unless they have previously verified their legitimacy. Users are advised to only download and update software from reliable sites such as the official Google Play Store, the iOS App Store, and so on.
• individuals using the site have been told not to send any links or communications to other persons until they have received proper authentication or verification.
• To avoid misuse, users are advised not to disclose any personal or financial information, including passwords, login information, and credit or debit card information, to anybody online. Furthermore, in order to defend themselves against fraud attempts, users are encouraged to stay up to date on the most recent news and changes in order to be informed and careful about cybercriminal activities.

Why do Scammer target WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service; it can reach out to considerably more prospective victims than it could with another tool. A scammer’s victims are almost certainly using WhatsApp. If all their victims are in one app, the criminal can easily handle their activities.

Conclusion

WhatsApp users may reduce their chances of being victims of the pink WhatsApp scam significantly by following the guidelines issued by the advisory. WhatsApp has become the primary target for scams, as there is a large number of the population using WhatsApp so it will be easy for the Scammer to steal critical personal information and target another victim through WhatsApp. The pink WhatsApp Scam is exactly like it.

Introduction

Entrusted with the responsibility of leading the Global Education 2030 Agenda through the Sustainable Development Goal 4, UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning in collaboration with the Media and Information Literacy and Digital Competencies Unit has recently launched a Media and Information Literacy Course for Adult Educators. The course aligns with The Pact for The Future adopted at The United Nations Summit of the Future, September 2024 - asking for increased efforts towards media and information literacy from its member countries. The course is free for Adult Educators to access and is available until 31st May 2025.

The Course

According to a report by Statista, 67.5% of the global population uses the internet. Regardless of the age and background of the users, there is a general lack of understanding on how to spot misinformation, targeted hate, and navigating online environments in a manner that is secure and efficient. Since misinformation (largely spread online) is enabled by the lack of awareness, digital literacy becomes increasingly important. The course is designed keeping in mind that many active adult educators are yet to get an opportunity to hone their skills with regard to media and information through formal education. Self-paced, a total of 10 hours, this course covers basics such as concepts of misinformation and disinformation, artificial intelligence, and combating hate speech, and offers a certificate on completion. 

CyberPeace Recommendations

As this course is free of cost, can be done in a remote capacity, and covers basics regarding digital literacy, all eligible are encouraged to take it up to familiarise themselves with such topics. However, awareness regarding the availability of this course, alongside who can avail of this opportunity can be further worked on so a larger number can avail its benefits.

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CyberPeace Recommendations To Enhance Positive Impact  

1. Further Collaboration: As this course is open to adult educators, one can consider widening the scope through active engagement with Independent organisations and even Individual internet users who are willing to learn.
2. Engagement with Educational Institutions: After launching a course, an interactive outreach programme and connecting with relevant stakeholders can prove to be beneficial. Since this course requires each individual adult educator to sign up to avail the course, partnering with educational universities, institutes, etc. is encouraged. In the Indian context, active involvement with training institutes such as DIET (District Institute of Education and Training), SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training), NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training), and Open Universities, etc. could be initiated, facilitating greater awareness and more participation.
3. Engagement through NGOs: NGOs (focused on digital literacy) with a tie-up with UNESCO, can aid in implementing and encouraging awareness. A localised language approach option can be pondered upon for inclusion as well.

Conclusion

Though a long process, tackling misinformation through education is a method that deals with the issue at the source. A strong foundation in awareness and media literacy is imperative in the age of fake news, misinformation, and sensitive data being peddled online. UNESCO’s course launch garners attention as it comes from an international platform, is free of cost, truly understands the gravity of the situation, and calls for action in the field of education, encouraging others to do the same.

References

1. ‍https://www.uil.unesco.org/en/articles/media-and-information-literacy-course-adult-educators-launched
2. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/celebrating-global-media-and-information-literacy-week-2024
3. https://www.unesco.org/en/node/559#:~:text=UNESCO%20believes%20that%20education%20is,must%20be%20matched%20by%20quality.