India's Visionary Roadmaps for Cyber Defense and Innovation

Introduction

A bill requiring social media companies, providers of encrypted communications, and other online services to report drug activity on their platforms to the U.S. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) advanced to the Senate floor, alarming privacy advocates who claim the legislation transforms businesses into de facto drug enforcement agents and exposes many of them to liability for providing end-to-end encryption.

‍Why is there a requirement for online companies to report drug activity?

The reason behind the bill is that there was a Kansas teenager died after unknowingly taking a fentanyl-laced pill he purchased on Snapchat. The bill requires social media companies and other web communication providers to provide the DEA with users’ names and other information when the companies have “actual knowledge” that illicit drugs are being distributed on their platforms.

There is an urgent need to look into this matter as platforms like Snapchat and Instagram are the constant applications that netizens use. If these kinds of apps promote the selling of drugs, then it will result in major drug-selling vehicles and become drug-selling platforms.

Threat to end to end encryption

End-to-end encryption has long been criticised by law enforcement for creating a “lawless space” that criminals, terrorists, and other bad actors can exploit for their illicit purposes. End- to end encryption is important for privacy, but it has been criticised as criminals also use it for bad purposes that result in cyber fraud and cybercrimes.

Cases of drug peddling on social media platforms  

It is very easy to get drugs on social media, just like calling an Uber. It is that simple to get the drugs. The survey discovered that access to illegal drugs is “staggering” on social media applications, which has contributed to the rising number of fentanyl overdoses, which has resulted in suicide, gun violence, and accidents.

According to another survey, drug dealers use slang, emoticons, QR codes, and disappearing messages to reach customers while avoiding content monitoring measures on social networking platforms. Drug dealers are frequently active on numerous social media platforms, advertising their products on Instagram while providing their WhatApps or Snapchat names for queries, making it difficult for law officials to crack down on the transactions.

There is a need for social media platforms to report these kinds of drug-selling activity on specific platforms to the Drug enforcement administration. The bill requires online companies to report drug cases going on websites, such as the above-mentioned Snapchat case. There are so many other cases where drug dealers sell the drug through Instagram, Snapchat etc. Usually, if Instagram blocks one account, they create another account for the drug selling. Just by only blocking the account does not help to stop drug trafficking on social media platforms.

Will this put the privacy of users at risk?

It is important to report the cybercrime activities of selling drugs on social media platforms. The companies will only detect the activity regarding the drugs which are being sold through social media platforms which are able to detect bad actors and cyber criminals. The detection will be on the particular activities on the applications where it is happening because the social media platforms lack regulations to govern them, and their convenience becomes the major vehicle for the drugs sale.

Conclusion

Social media companies are required to report these kinds of activities happening on their platforms immediately to the Drugs enforcement Administration so that the DEA will take the required steps instead of just blocking the account. Because just blocking does not stop these drug markets from happening online. There must be proper reporting for that. And there is a need for social media regulations. Social media platforms mostly influence people.

Introduction

It’s a proud moment for Indians that India will host the G- 20 administration, which will bring the world’s 20 largest profitable nations together on a single platform during the post-economic recovery and the Russia- Ukraine conflict, which has increased geopolitical pressures among nations over the last many times and made the G- 20 a precedence of nations. With this administration, India has to make cybersecurity precedence, as the security and integrity of the critical structure and digital platforms are top precedence in 2023. The necessity for a secure cyberspace is pivotal given the exponential increase in the volume and kind of cyber-attacks, particularly to crucial structures the most recent illustration is the ongoing interruption at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical lores caused by a ransomware assault. It has been observed that the mode of attacks are more sophisticated and targets communication structure, critical structure, transport systems, and especially the information technology sector and fiscal system.

The structure that enables the delivery of government services to be more effective. As a result,cyber-secured critical structures and digital public forums are necessary for public security,  bettered governance, and, most importantly, maintaining people’s trust.   The G20 can be enhanced and contribute towards securing digital public platforms and the integrity of the critical structure. This time, in 2023, digital security is the top precedence.

G20 cybersecurity enterprises and politic sweat

The emphasis on cybersecurity was maintained throughout the Italian and Indonesian regulations in 2021 and 2022, independently, by emphasizing the significance of cyberspace during Digital Economy Working Group addresses. Specifically, under the Indonesian Presidency, the prominent cybersecurity focus was clear in the recent Bali Leaders’ protestation, which noted, among other effects, the significance of fighting misinformation juggernauts and cyber attacks, as well as guaranteeing connectivity structure security.  The cyber incident report by the Financial Stability Board on carrying further uniformity in cyber incident reporting  In 2016, a G20 digital task force was created under the Chinese administration to understand digital technology issues.  Under the Saudi administration, the cybersecurity gap at the G20 was bridged by addressing the issues of MSMs. India has also refocused on the significance of creating secure, secure, and stronger-friendly digital platforms.

G20- India’s digital invention alliance( G-20-DIA) a cyber-secure Bharat  

• Under India’s administration, the G20’s Digital Economy Working Group is led by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology( MeitY, DEWG).
• The Ministry concentrated on three major areas during India’s G20 administration digital skill development, digital public structure, and cyber security.
• The EWG’s DIA and Stay Safe Online enterprise further the ideal of lesser digital metamorphosis by guaranteeing a safe and creative cyber terrain. They want to offer a smooth and secure delivery of public services.

The G20 Digital Innovation Alliance

(G20- DIA) strives to find, admit, and encourage the relinquishment of innovative and poignant digital technologies produced by invited G20 startups and-member governments.

• These technologies must meet humanity’s conditions in six crucial areas husbandry, health, education, finance, secure digital structure, and indirect frugality.
• The inventions created around these motifs will be supported by the Digital Public Goods structure, allowing them to be espoused encyclopedically, closing the digital gap and icing sustainable and indifferent growth.
• The G20 Digital Innovation Alliance( G20- DIA) conference will be held on the perimeters of the Digital Economy Working Group( DEWG) meeting in Bengaluru.
• Top-nominated entrepreneurs from each order will present their ideas to a worldwide community of investors, instructors, pots, and other stakeholders at this event.

India’s” Stay Safe Online crusade”    

The” Stay Safe Online” crusade attempts to raise mindfulness about the significance of remaining safe in the online world amid our adding reliance on it. With the fast expansion of the technical terrain and the growing number of internet druggies in India, new difficulties are arising. The Stay Safe Online crusade aims to educate individuals about cyber pitfalls and how to avoid them. The time-long crusade will target children, women,  scholars, and aged citizens, as well as individuals with disabilities,  preceptors, and government officers in particular. It’ll be done in Hindi, English, and indigenous languages to reach a larger followership. It’ll distribute mindfulness information in infographics, short pictures, cartoon stories, and so on through extensively employed social media platforms and other channels. The primary stakeholders will be government agencies, civil societies, and NGOs.

Conclusion

To wind up, it can be said that cyber security has become the most essential part of transnational affairs. As India hosts the G20 administration in 2023, the docket relating to cybersecurity gains a global stage, where cyber-related issues are addressed and honored encyclopedically, and nations can combat these issues;  also, India aims to raise cyber mindfulness among its citizens.

Introduction

In the labyrinthine world of cybersecurity, a new spectre has emerged from the digital ether, casting a long shadow over the seemingly impregnable orchards of Apple's macOS. This phantom, known as SpectralBlur, is a backdoor so cunningly crafted that it remained shrouded in the obscurity of cyberspace, undetected by the vigilant eyes of antivirus software until its recent unmasking. The discovery of SpectralBlur is not just a tale of technological intrigue but a narrative that weaves together the threads of geopolitical manoeuvring, the relentless pursuit of digital supremacy, and the ever-evolving landscape of cyber warfare.

SpectralBlur, a term that conjures images of ghostly interference and elusive threats, is indeed a fitting moniker for this new macOS backdoor threat. Cybersecurity researchers have peeled back the layers of the digital onion to reveal a moderately capable backdoor that can upload and download files, execute shell commands, update its configuration, delete files, and enter states of hibernation or sleep, all at the behest of a remote command-and-control server. Greg Lesnewich, a security researcher whose name has become synonymous with the relentless pursuit of digital malefactors, has shed light on this new threat that overlaps with a known malware family attributed to the enigmatic North Korean threat actors.

SpectralBlur similar to Lazarus Group’s KANDYKORN

The malware shares its DNA with KANDYKORN, also known as SockRacket, an advanced implant that functions as a remote access trojan capable of taking control of a compromised host. It is a digital puppeteer, pulling the strings of infected systems with a malevolent grace. The KANDYKORN activity also intersects with another campaign orchestrated by the Lazarus sub-group known as BlueNoroff, or TA444, which culminates in the deployment of a backdoor referred to as RustBucket and a late-stage payload dubbed ObjCShellz.

Recently, the threat actor has been observed combining disparate pieces of these two infection chains, leveraging RustBucket droppers to deliver KANDYKORN. This latest finding is another sign that North Korean threat actors are increasingly setting their sights on macOS to infiltrate high-value targets, particularly those within the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. 'TA444 keeps running fast and furious with these new macOS malware families,' Lesnewich remarked, painting a picture of a relentless adversary in the digital realm.

Patrick Wardle, a security researcher whose insights into the inner workings of SpectralBlur have further illuminated the threat landscape, noted that the Mach-O binary was uploaded to the VirusTotal malware scanning service in August 2023 from Colombia. The functional similarities between KANDYKORN and SpectralBlur have raised the possibility that they may have been built by different developers with the same requirements. What makes the malware stand out are its attempts to hinder analysis and evade detection while using grant to set up a pseudo-terminal and execute shell commands received from the C2 server.

The disclosure comes as 21 new malware families designed to target macOS systems, including ransomware, information stealers, remote access trojans, and nation-state-backed malware, were discovered in 2023, up from 13 identified in 2022. 'With the continued growth and popularity of macOS (especially in the enterprise!), 2024 will surely bring a bevvy of new macOS malware,' Wardle noted, his words a harbinger of the digital storms on the horizon.

Hackers are beefing up their efforts to go after the best MacBooks as security researchers have discovered a brand new macOS backdoor which appears to have ties to another recently identified Mac malware strain. As reported by Security Week, this new Mac malware has been dubbed SpectralBlur and although it was uploaded to VirusTotal back in August of last year, it remained undetected by the best antivirus software until it recently caught the attention of Proofpoint’s Greg Lesnewich.

Lesnewich explained that SpectralBlur has similar capabilities to other backdoors as it can upload and download files, delete files and hibernate or sleep when given commands from a hacker-controlled command-and-control (C2) server. What is surprising about this new Mac malware strain though is that it shares similarities to the KandyKorn macOS backdoor which was created by the infamous North Korean hacking group Lazarus.

Just like SpectralBlur, KandyKorn is designed to evade detection while providing the hackers behind it with the ability to monitor and control infected Macs. Although different, these two Mac malware strains appear to be built based on the same requirements. Once installed on a vulnerable Mac, SpectralBlur executes a function that allows it to decrypt and encrypt network traffic to help it avoid being detected. However, it can also erase files after opening them and then overwrite the data they contain with zeros..

How to keep your Apple computers safe from hackers

As with the best iPhones, keeping your Mac up to date is the easiest and most important way to keep it safe from hackers. Hackers often prey on users who haven’t updated their devices to the latest software as they can exploit unpatched vulnerabilities and security flaws.

Checking to see if you're running the latest macOS version is quite easy. Just click on the Apple Logo in the top right corner of your computer, head to System Preferences and then click on Software Update. If you need a bit more help, check out our guide on how to update a Mac for more detailed instructions with pictures.

Even though your Mac has its own built-in malware scanner from Apple called xProtect, you should consider using one of the best Mac antivirus software solutions for additional protection. Paid antivirus software is often updated more frequently and you often also get access to other extras to help keep you safe online like a password manager or a VPN.

Besides updating your Mac frequently and using antivirus software, you must be careful online. This means sticking to trusted online retailers, carefully checking the URLs of the websites you visit and avoiding opening links and attachments sent to you via email or social media from people you don’t know. Likewise, you should also learn how to spot a phishing scam to know which emails you want to delete right away.

Conclusion 

The thing about hackers and other cybercriminals is that they are constantly evolving their tactics and attack methods. This helps them avoid detection and allows them to devise brand-new ways to trick ordinary people. With the surge we saw in Mac malware last year, though, Apple will likely be working on beefing up xProtect and macOS to better defend against these new threats.

References 

• https://www.scmagazine.com/news/new-macos-malware-spectralblur-idd-as-north-korean-backdoor
• https://www.tomsguide.com/news/this-new-macos-backdoor-lets-hackers-take-over-your-mac-remotely-how-to-stay-safe
• https://thehackernews.com/2024/01/spectralblur-new-macos-backdoor-threat.html