#FactCheck-Viral Video Claiming a Shooting Incident at Patna High School is Actually From a Film Set

Introduction
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With the modernization of automobiles, so have the methods employed by criminals who seek to commit thefts. The old method of smashing a car window or bypassing an engine lock is no longer prevalent. Modern car thieves employ cloning techniques for keys and digital signals, and sophisticated methods to commit crimes without any traces left behind. In an era where intelligence is crucial, the forensic examination of car keys has become an indispensable tool for investigations, providing clues buried within ordinary car keys.
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The Need for Car Key Forensics Today

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Daily, thousands of cars worth millions are being hacked or stolen around the globe. The shocking thing is that most of these hacks do not have any sign of breakage or forced entry. It is because the thieves use vulnerabilities in the wireless key systems to unlock the vehicles without leaving any trace behind. Therefore, car-key forensics has now become more important than ever before.

Forensic Value of Smart Key

The smart key is not just comprised of locking and unlocking features for vehicles. Actually, it operates as a miniature computer within the key itself. Information such as pairing records, frequency of use, or the last instance that the key was used to unlock something could be contained in smart keys, thus offering evidence of any criminal activity conducted using these items.

Patterns of Vehicle Theft

Through the examination of the chip in a key, one will be able to establish whether the key was legally programmed or had been tampered with by some other means. Such forensics become more important when trying to detect and monitor any car theft rings, which employ cloning machines or software.

Confirming Ownership and Authenticity

In cases involving insurance claims or fraud, smart key data can help confirm whether the person making a claim actually owned or used the car during the incident. It’s digital proof that goes beyond what paperwork or statements can show.

Strengthening Legal Cases

When brought to court, data doesn’t lie. A properly handled forensic examination of a car key can provide hard evidence — the kind that holds up under questioning and supports or disproves claims with complete accuracy. In many cases, this small device becomes the most reliable witness in the investigation.

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A Real-Life Example
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Consider the following scenario: An expensive SUV is stolen from a parking lot secured with security surveillance. No one is captured on camera and there is no sign of forced entry. After days of investigation, the police end up arresting a suspect with a smart key.

During forensic analysis of the smart key, it is revealed that:

• The transponder has an ID number which can be matched against the immobilizer installed in the vehicle.
• The rolling code counter has been incremented in such a way that the date corresponds with the report of theft of the vehicle.
• The extracted information helps match the pair timestamp of the key with the particular make and model of the vehicle.

All this from a single piece of evidence – the smart key.

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Inside a Smart Key: Where the Data Lives

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An average smart key is not only a remote but also a multi-level set of data carriers:

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• Plastic Shell– could include serial numbers and information on the manufacture.
• Battery – helps calculate the time of using the key or detect any modifications.
• Antenna Coil – sends encrypted information to the immobilizer of a car. Draw the picture of this element.
• Microchip / EEPROM – holds key identification code, rolling code, VIN number, and/or other information of the vehicle.
• Buttons / sensors – could record any pressing or transmission actions in some cases.

All the little devices above, once properly studied via forensics software, provide valuable information.

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How the Investigator Uncovers the Truth
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In relation to investigating the true story about a vehicle, it is no different than handling other forms of digital evidence, as forensic analysts treat the car key in the same way. It is nothing more than an encrypted device in your hands, and using special techniques, they are able to reveal the information contained within the device.

Some of the methods used by modern forensic laboratories include:

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1. Intercepting Radio Signals

Any intelligent key transmits radio signals to communicate with a car. Specialists employ advanced antennas and radio frequency (RF) analysers to catch and analyse them. This way, it is possible to understand the interaction between the key and the car – how often was it used, what kind of authentication procedure takes place, and if the signal matches the car’s one or has been forged somehow.

2. Checking Out the Key’s Brain (Analysis of EEPROM)

There is always a special chip on the key that is responsible for its activity. The chip contains an important memory module (EEPROM – Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), which holds various data, including key IDs and rolling codes. It can be carefully retrieved via advanced tools. Thus, it is possible to determine whether somebody tried to tamper with the key.

3. The Correlation between the Key and Car’s Information

The information stored inside the key will not be used separately since investigators will correlate the key's data with that of the vehicle itself (ECU and immobilizer). If the two kinds of information coincide, the investigation may conclude that the key belongs to the vehicle. Otherwise, this may mean either cloning or tampering.

 4. Identifying the Tampering and Cloning Evidence

As was mentioned above, thieves sometimes resort to using unlawful programming devices for duplicating smart car keys. In order to detect possible cloning, experts examine the key using various diagnostic devices to find out whether the keys were modified by changing the encryption code, frequencies, and hardware itself.

At the end of the process, some kind of miracle occurs because of the following: all actions committed with this particular key become documented, recorded inside the device itself. Even if someone tries to hide anything or remove any information concerning this particular incident, there will always remain some data.

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Car Key Forensics in the Future
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The evolution of cars to connect with other devices and adopt self-driving technologies requires new investigative methods to be used for vehicle-related crimes. Advanced car keys or smartphone apps that replace physical keys will likely incorporate biometric authentication, cloud integration, or blockchain records of key activity in the near future.

Such improvements will pose several threats and offer many benefits:

• Artificial intelligence tools can determine if the car key is cloned based on its behaviour pattern.
• Blockchain validation ensures all key-related activities are recorded and cannot be altered.
• Cyber-forensic protocols will become increasingly necessary for investigating criminal activity related to vehicles.

Car key forensics technology will not only allow solving crimes but may become instrumental in crime prevention.

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Conclusion
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A car key in this era is more than just an unlocking mechanism; it is a miniature data storage facility, which can yield information about the user, intentions, and access rights. The more cars become technologically advanced, the more the examination of smart keys becomes necessary as part of correlating physical evidence with digital investigation. It clearly indicates how small objects such as keys can play pivotal roles in cracking cases.

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Introduction

Misinformation in India has emerged as a significant societal challenge, wielding a potent influence on public perception, political discourse, and social dynamics. A potential number of first-time voters across India identified fake news as a real problem in the nation. With the widespread adoption of digital platforms, false narratives, manipulated content, and fake news have found fertile ground to spread unchecked information and news.

In the backdrop of India being the largest market of WhatsApp users, who forward more content on chats than anywhere else, the practice of fact-checking forwarded information continues to remain low. The heavy reliance on print media, television, unreliable news channels and primarily, social media platforms acts as a catalyst since studies reveal that most Indians trust any content forwarded by family and friends. It is noted that out of all risks, misinformation and disinformation ranked the highest in India, coming before infectious diseases, illicit economic activity, inequality and labour shortages. World Economic Forum analysts, in connection with their 2024 Global Risk Report, note that “misinformation and disinformation in electoral processes could seriously destabilise the real and perceived legitimacy of newly elected governments, risking political unrest, violence and terrorism and long-term erosion of democratic processes.”

The Supreme Court of India on Misinformation

The Supreme Court of India, through various judgements, has noted the impact of misinformation on democratic processes within the country, especially during elections and voting. In 1995, while adjudicating a matter pertaining to keeping the broadcasting media under the control of the public, it noted that democracy becomes a farce when the medium of information is monopolized either by partisan central authority or by private individuals or oligarchic organizations. 

In 2003, the Court stated that “Right to participate by casting a vote at the time of election would be meaningless unless the voters are well informed about all sides of the issue in respect of which they are called upon to express their views by casting their votes. Disinformation, misinformation, non-information all equally create an uninformed citizenry which would finally make democracy a mobocracy and a farce.” It noted that elections would be a useless procedure if voters remained unaware of the antecedents of the candidates contesting elections. Thus, a necessary aspect of a voter’s duty to cast intelligent and rational votes is being well-informed. Such information forms one facet of the fundamental right under Article 19 (1)(a) pertaining to freedom of speech and expression. Quoting James Madison, it stated that a citizen’s right to know the true facts about their country’s administration is one of the pillars of a democratic State.

On a similar note, the Supreme Court, while discussing the disclosure of information by an election candidate, gave weightage to the High Court of Bombay‘s opinion on the matter, which opined that non-disclosure of information resulted in misinformation and disinformation, thereby influencing voters to take uninformed decisions. It stated that a voter had the elementary right to know the full particulars of a candidate who is to represent him in Parliament/Assemblies.

While misinformation was discussed primarily in relation to elections, the effects of misinformation in other sectors have also been discussed from time to time. In particular, The court highlighted the World Health Organisation’s observation in 2021 while discussing the spread of COVID-19, noting that the pandemic was not only an epidemic but also an “infodemic” due to the overabundance of information on the internet, which was riddled with misinformation and disinformation. While condemning governments’ direct or indirect threats of prosecution to citizens, it noted that various citizens who relied on the internet to provide help in securing medical facilities and oxygen tanks were being targeted by alleging that the information posted by them was false and was posted to create panic, defame the administration or damage national image. It instructed authorities to cease such threats and prevent clampdown on information sharing.

More recently, in Facebook v. Delhi Legislative Assembly [(2022) 3 SCC 529], the apex court, while upholding the summons issued to Facebook by the Delhi Legislative Assembly in the aftermath of the 2020 Delhi Riots, noted that while social media enables equal and open dialogue between citizens and policymakers, it is also a tool in the where extremist views are peddled into mainstream media, thereby spreading misinformation. It noted Facebook’s role in the Mynmar, where misinformation and posts that Facebook employees missed fueled offline violence. Since Facebook is one of the most popular social media applications, the platform itself acts as a power center by hosting various opinions and voices on its forum. This directly impacts the governance of States, and some form of liability must be attached to the platform. The Supreme Court objected to Facebook taking contrary stands in various jurisdictions; while in the US, it projected itself as a publisher, which enabled it to maintain control over the material disseminated from its platform, while in India, “it has chosen to identify itself purely as a social media platform, despite its similar functions and services in the two countries.”

Conclusion

The pervasive issue of misinformation in India is a multifaceted challenge with profound implications for democratic processes, public awareness, and social harmony. The alarming statistics of fake news recognition among first-time voters, coupled with a lack of awareness regarding fact-checking organizations, underscore the urgency of addressing this issue. The Supreme Court of India has consistently recognized the detrimental impact of misinformation, particularly in elections. The judiciary has stressed the pivotal role of an informed citizenry in upholding the essence of democracy. It has emphasized the right to access accurate information as a fundamental aspect of freedom of speech and expression. As India grapples with the challenges of misinformation, the intersection of technology, media literacy and legal frameworks will be crucial in mitigating the adverse effects and fostering a more resilient and informed society.

References

• https://thewire.in/media/survey-finds-false-information-risk-highest-in-india 
• https://www.statista.com/topics/5846/fake-news-in-india/#topicOverview
• https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2024/digest/  
• https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2020/20428/20428_2020_37_1501_28386_Judgement_08-Jul-2021.pdf
• Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt, of India and Others v. Cricket Association of Bengal and Another [(1995) 2 SCC 161]
• People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v. Union of India [(2003) 4 SCC 399]
• Kisan Shankar Kathore v. Arun Dattatray Sawant and Others [(2014) 14 SCC 162]
• Distribution of Essential Supplies & Services During Pandemic, In re [(2021) 18 SCC 201]
• Facebook v. Delhi Legislative Assembly [(2022) 3 SCC 529]

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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.

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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

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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

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