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Introduction

In 2019 India got its bill on Data protection in the form of the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019. This bill focused on digital rights and duties pertaining to data privacy. However, the bill was scrapped by the Govt in mid-2022, and a new bill was drafted, Successor bill was introduced as the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 on 18th November 2022, which was made open for public comments and consultations and now the bill is expected to be tabled at the parliament in the Monsoon session.

What is DPDP, 2022?

Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, is the lasted draft regulation for data privacy in India. The bill has been essentially focused towards data protection by companies and the keep aspect of Puttaswamy judgement of data privacy as a fundamental right has been upheld under the scope of the bill. The bill comes after nearly 150 recommendations which the parliamentary committee made when the PDP, 2019 was scrapped.

The bill highlights the following keen aspects-

• Data Fiduciary- The entity (an individual, company, firm, state, etc.) which decides the purpose and means of processing an individual’s personal data.
• Data Principle- The individual to whom personal data is related.
• Processing- The entire cycle of operations that can be carried out concerning personal data.
• Gender Neutrality- For the first time in India’s legislative history, “her” and “she” have been used to refer to individuals irrespective of gender.
• Right to Erase Data- Data principals will have the right to demand the erasure and correction of data collected by the data fiduciary.
• Cross-border data transfer- The bill allows cross-border data after an assessment of relevant factors by the Central Government.
• Children’s Rights- The bill guarantees the right to digital privacy under the protection of parents/guardians.
• Heavy Penalties- The bill enforces heavy penalties for non-compliance with the provisions, not exceeding Rs 500 crore.

Data Protection Board

The bill lays down provisions for setting up a Data Protection Board. This board will be an independent body acting solely on the factors of data privacy and protection of the data principles and maintaining compliance by data fiduciaries. The board will be headed by a chairperson of essential and relevant qualifications, and members and various other officials shall assist him/her under the board. The board will serve grievance redressal to the data principles and can conduct investigation, inquiry, proceeding, and pass orders equivalent to a Civil court. The proceeding will be undertaken on the principle of natural justice, and the aggrieved can file an appeal to the High Court of appropriate jurisdiction.

Global Comparison

Many countries have data protection laws that regulate the processing of personal data. Some of the notable examples include:

• European Union: The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the world’s most comprehensive data protection laws. It regulates public and private entities’ processing of personal data and gives individuals a wide range of rights over their personal data.
• United States: The US has several data protection laws that apply to specific sectors or types of data, such as health data (HIPAA) or financial data (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). However, there is no comprehensive federal data protection law in the US.
• Japan: Japan’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) regulates the handling of personal data by private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data.
• Australia: Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 regulates the handling of personal data by public and private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data.
• Brazil: Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD) regulates the processing of personal data by public and private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data. It also imposes heavy fines and penalties on entities that violate the provisions of the law.

Overall, while there are some similarities in data protection laws across countries, there are also significant differences in scope, applicability, and enforcement. It is important for organisations to understand the data protection laws that apply to their operations and take appropriate steps to comply with these laws.

Parliamentary Asscent

The case of violation of the privacy policy by WhatsApp at the Hon’ble Supreme Court resulted in a significant advocacy for Data privacy as a fundamental right, and it was held that, as suggested otherwise in the privacy policy, Whatsapp was sharing its user’s data with Meta. This massive breach of trust could have led to data mismanagement affecting thousands of Indian users. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has taken due consideration of data privacy and its challenges in India and asked the Govt to table the bill in Parliament. The bill will be tabled for discussion in the monsoon session. The Supreme Court has set up a constitutional bench to check the bill’s scope, extent and applications and provide its judicial oversight.  The constitution bench of Justices KM Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar has fixed the matter for hearing in August in order to enforce the potential changes and amendments in the act post the parliamentary discussion.

Conclusion

India is the world’s largest democracy, so the crucial aspects of passing laws and amendments have always been followed by the government and kept under check by the judiciary. The discussion over bills is a crucial part of the democratic process, and bills as important as Digital Personal Data Protection need to be discussed and analysed thoroughly in both houses of Parliament to ensure the govt passes a sustainable and efficient law.

Overview:

A recent addition to the  list of cybercrime  is SharpRhino, a RAT (Remote Access Trojan) actively used by Hunters International ransomware group. SharpRhino is highly developed and penetrates into the network mask of IT specialists, primarily due to the belief in the tools’ legitimacy. Going under the genuine software installer, SharpRhino started functioning in mid-June 2024. However, Quorum Cyber discovered it in early August 2024 while investigating ransomware.

About Hunters International Group:

Hunters International emerged as one of the most notorious groups focused on ransomware attacks, having compromised over 134 targets worldwide in the first seven months of 2024. It is believed that the group is the rebranding of Hive ransomware group that was previously active, and there are considerable similarities in the code. Its focus on IT employees in particular demonstrates the fact that they move tactically in gaining access to the organizations’ networks.

Modus Operandi:

1. Typosquatting Technique 

SharpRhino is mainly distributed by a domain that looks like the genuine Angry IP Scanner, which is a popular network discovery tool. The malware installer, labeled as ipscan-3.9.1-setup. It is a 32-bit Nullsoft installer which embeds a password protected 7z archive in it. 

2. Installation Process 

• Execution of Installer: When the victim downloads and executes the installer and changes the windows registry in order to attain persistence. This is done by generating a registry entry that starts a harmful file, Microsoft. AnyKey. exe, are fakes originating from fake versions of true legitimate Microsoft Visual Studio tools. 

• Creation of Batch File: This drops a batch file qualified as LogUpdate at the installer.bat, that runs the PowerShell scripts on the device. These scripts are to compile C# code into memory to serve as a means of making the malware covert in its operation. 

• Directory Creation: The installer establishes two directories that allow the C2 communication – C:\ProgramData\Microsoft: WindowsUpdater24 and LogUpdateWindows. 

3. Execution and Functionality: 

• Command Execution: The malware can execute PowerShell commands on the infected system, these actions may involve privilege escalation and other extended actions such as lateral movement. 

• C2 Communication: SharpRhino interacts with command and control servers located on domains from platforms such as Cloudflare. This communication is necessary for receiving commands from the attackers and for returning any data of interest to the attackers. 

• Data Exfiltration and Ransomware Deployment: Once SharpRhino has gained control, it can steal information and then proceed to encrypt it with a .locked extension. The procedure generally concludes with a ransom message, which informs users on how to purchase the decryption key. 

4. Propagation Techniques: 

Also, SharpRhino can spread through the self-copying method, this is the virus may copy itself to other computers using the network account of the victim and pretending to be trustworthy senders such as emails or network-shared files. Moreover, the victim’s machine may then proceed to propagate the malware to other systems like sharing in the company with other employees.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs):

• LogUpdate.bat
• Wiaphoh7um.t
• ipscan-3.9.1-setup.exe
• kautix2aeX.t
• WindowsUpdate.bat

Command and Control Servers:

• cdn-server-1.xiren77418.workers.dev
• cdn-server-2.wesoc40288.workers.dev
• Angryipo.org
• Angryipsca.com

Analysis:

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Graph:

Precautionary measures to be taken:

To mitigate the risks posed by SharpRhino and similar malware, organizations should implement the following measures:

• Implement Security Best Practices: It is important only to download software from official sites and avoid similar sites to confuse the user by changing a few letters.

• Enhance Detection Capabilities: Use technology in detection that can detect the IOCs linked to Sharp Rhino.

• Educate Employees: Educate IT people and employees on phishing scams and the requirement to check the origin of the application.

• Regular Backups: It is also important to back up important files from systems and networks in order to minimize the effects of ransomware attacks on a business.

Conclusion:

SharpRhino could be deemed as the evolution of the strategies used by organizations like Hunters International and others involved in the distribution of ransomware. SharpRhino primarily focuses on the audience of IT professionals and employs complex delivery and execution schemes, which makes it an extremely serious threat for corporate networks. To do so it is imperative that organizations have an understanding of its inner workings in order to fortify their security measures against this relatively new threat. Through the enforcement of proper security measures and constant enlightenment of organizations on the importance of cybersecurity, firms can prevent the various risks associated with SharpRhino and related malware. Be safe, be knowledgeable, and most importantly, be secure when it comes to cyber security for your investments.

Reference: 

https://cybersecuritynews.com/sharprhino-ransomware-alert/

https://cybersecsentinel.com/sharprhino-explained-key-facts-and-how-to-protect-your-data/

https://www.dataprivacyandsecurityinsider.com/2024/08/sharprhino-malware-targeting-it-professionals/

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Introduction

As e-sports flourish in India, mobile gaming platforms and apps have contributed massively to this boom. The wave of online mobile gaming has led to a new recognition of esports. As we see the Sports Ministry being very proactive for e-sports and e-athletes, it is pertinent to ensure that we do not compromise our cyber security for the sake of these games. When we talk about online mobile gaming, the most common names that come to our minds are PUBG and BGMI. As news for all Indian gamers, BGMI is set to be relaunched in India after approval from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Why was BGMI banned?

The Govt banned Battle Ground Mobile India on the pretext of being a Chinese application and the fact that all the data was hosted in China itself. This caused a cascade of compliance and user safety issues as the Data was stored outside India. Since 2020 The Indian Govt has been proactive in banning Chinese applications, which might have an adverse effect on national security and Indian citizens. Nearly 200 plus applications have been banned by the Govt, and most of them were banned due to their data hubs being in China. The issue of cross-border data flow has been a key issue in Geo-Politics, and whoever hosts the data virtually owns it as well and under the potential threat of this fact, all apps hosting their data in China were banned.

Why is BGMI coming back?

BGMI was banned for not hosting data in India, and since the ban, the Krafton Inc.-owned game has been engaging in Idnai to set up data banks and servers to have a separate gaming server for Indian players. These moves will lead to a safe gaming ecosystem and result in better adherence to the laws and policies of the land. The developers have not declared a relaunch date yet, but the game is expected to be available for download for iOS and Android users in the coming few days. The game will be back on app stores as a letter from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been issued stating that the games be allowed and made available for download on the respective app stores.

Grounds for BGMI

BGMI has to ensure that they comply with all the laws, policies and guidelines in India and have to show the same to the Ministry to get an extension on approval. The game has been permitted for only 90 days (3 Months). Hon’ble MoS Meity Rajeev Chandrashekhar stated in a tweet   “This is a 3-month trial approval of #BGMI after it has complied with issues of server locations and data security etc. We will keep a close watch on other issues of User harm, Addiction etc., in the next 3 months before a final decision is taken”. This clearly shows the magnitude of the bans on Chinese apps. The ministry and the Govt will not play the soft game now, it’s all about compliance and safeguarding the user’s data.

Way Forward

This move will play a significant role in the future, not only for gaming companies but also for other online industries, to ensure compliance. This move will act as a precedent for the issue of cross-border data flow and the advantages of data localisation. It will go a long way in advocacy for the betterment of the Indian cyber ecosystem. Meity alone cannot safeguard the space completely, it is a shared responsibility of the Govt, industry and netizens.

Conclusion

The advent of online mobile gaming has taken the nation by storm, and thus, being safe and secure in this ecosystem is paramount. The provisional permission form BGMI shows the stance of the Govt and how it is following the no-tolerance policy for noncompliance with laws. The latest policies and bills, like the Digital India Act, Digital Personal Data Protection Act, etc., will go a long way in securing the interests and rights of the Indian netizen and will create a blanket of safety and prevention of issues and threats in the future.