Skyjacking Alert! Cyber crooks Target Airlines for Ransom
Introduction
In today’s time, everything is online, and the world is interconnected. Cases of data breaches and cyberattacks have been a reality for various organisations and industries, In the recent case (of SAS), Scandinavian Airlines experienced a cyberattack that resulted in the exposure of customer details, highlighting the critical importance of preventing customer privacy. The incident is a wake-up call for Airlines and businesses to evaluate their cyber security measures and learn valuable lessons to safeguard customers’ data. In this blog, we will explore the incident and discuss the strategies for protecting customers’ privacy in this age of digitalisation.
Analysing the backdrop
The incident has been a shocker for the aviation industry, SAS Scandinavian Airlines has been a victim of a cyberattack that compromised consumer data. Let’s understand the motive of cyber crooks and the technique they used :
Motive Behind the Attack: Understanding the reasons that may have driven the criminals is critical to comprehending the context of the Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault. Financial gain, geopolitical conflicts, activism, or personal vendettas are common motivators for cybercriminals. Identifying the purpose of the assault can provide insight into the attacker’s aims and the possible impact on both the targeted organisation and its consumers. Understanding the attack vector and strategies used by cyber attackers reveals the amount of complexity and possible weaknesses in an organisation’s cybersecurity defences. Scandinavian Airlines’ cyber assault might have included phishing, spyware, ransomware, or exploiting software weaknesses. Analysing these tactics allows organisations to strengthen their security against similar assaults.
Impact on Victims: The Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) cyber attack victims, including customers and individuals related to the company, have suffered substantial consequences. Data breaches and cyber-attack have serious consequences due to the leak of personal information.
1)Financial Losses and Fraudulent Activities: One of the most immediate and upsetting consequences of a cyber assault is the possibility of financial loss. Exposed personal information, such as credit card numbers, can be used by hackers to carry out illegal activities such as unauthorised transactions and identity theft. Victims may experience financial difficulties and the need to spend time and money resolving these concerns.
2)Concerns about privacy and personal security: A breach of personal data can significantly impact the privacy and personal security of victims. The disclosed information, including names, addresses, and contact information, might be exploited for nefarious reasons, such as targeted phishing or physical harassment. Victims may have increased anxiety about their safety and privacy, which can interrupt their everyday life and create mental pain.
3) Reputational Damage and Trust Issues: The cyber attack may cause reputational harm to persons linked with Scandinavian Airlines, such as workers or partners. The breach may diminish consumers’ and stakeholders’ faith in the organisation, leading to a bad view of its capacity to protect personal information. This lack of trust might have long-term consequences for the impacted people’s professional and personal relationships.
4) Emotional Stress and Psychological Impact: The psychological impact of a cyber assault can be severe. Fear, worry, and a sense of violation induced by having personal information exposed can create emotional stress and psychological suffering. Victims may experience emotions of vulnerability, loss of control, and distrust toward digital platforms, potentially harming their overall quality of life.
5) Time and Effort Required for Remediation: Addressing the repercussions of a cyber assault demands significant time and effort from the victims. They may need to call financial institutions, reset passwords, monitor accounts for unusual activity, and use credit monitoring services. Resolving the consequences of a data breach may be a difficult and time-consuming process, adding stress and inconvenience to the victims’ lives.
6) Secondary Impacts: The impacts of an online attack could continue beyond the immediate implications. Future repercussions for victims may include trouble acquiring credit or insurance, difficulties finding future work, and continuous worry about exploiting their personal information. These secondary effects can seriously affect victims’ financial and general well-being.
Apart from this, the trust lost would take time to rebuild.
Takeaways from this attack
The cyber-attack on Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is a sharp reminder of cybercrime’s ever-present and increasing menace. This event provides crucial insights that businesses and people may use to strengthen cybersecurity defences. In the lessons that were learned from the Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault and examine the steps that may be taken to improve cybersecurity and reduce future risks. Some of the key points that can be considered are as follows:
Proactive Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Management: The cyber assault on Scandinavian Airlines emphasises the significance of regular risk assessments and vulnerability management. Organisations must proactively identify and fix possible system and network vulnerabilities. Regular security audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments can help identify flaws before bad actors exploit them.
Strong security measures and best practices: To guard against cyber attacks, it is necessary to implement effective security measures and follow cybersecurity best practices. Lessons from the Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault emphasise the importance of effective firewalls, up-to-date antivirus software, secure setups, frequent software patching, and strong password rules. Using multi-factor authentication and encryption technologies for sensitive data can also considerably improve security.
Employee Training and Awareness: Human mistake is frequently a big component in cyber assaults. Organisations should prioritise employee training and awareness programs to educate employees about phishing schemes, social engineering methods, and safe internet practices. Employees may become the first line of defence against possible attacks by cultivating a culture of cybersecurity awareness.
Data Protection and Privacy Measures: Protecting consumer data should be a key priority for businesses. Lessons from the Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault emphasise the significance of having effective data protection measures, such as encryption and access limits. Adhering to data privacy standards and maintaining safe data storage and transfer can reduce the risks connected with data breaches.
Collaboration and Information Sharing: The Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault emphasises the need for collaboration and information sharing among the cybersecurity community. Organisations should actively share threat intelligence, cooperate with industry partners, and stay current on developing cyber threats. Sharing information and experiences can help to build the collective defence against cybercrime.
Conclusion
The Scandinavian Airlines cyber assault is a reminder that cybersecurity must be a key concern for organisations and people. Organisations may improve their cybersecurity safeguards, proactively discover vulnerabilities, and respond effectively to prospective attacks by learning from this occurrence and adopting the lessons learned. Building a strong cybersecurity culture, frequently upgrading security practices, and encouraging cooperation within the cybersecurity community are all critical steps toward a more robust digital world. We may aim to keep one step ahead of thieves and preserve our important information assets by constantly monitoring and taking proactive actions.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary:
Several videos claiming to show bizarre, mutated animals with features such as seal's body and cow's head have gone viral on social media. Upon thorough investigation, these claims were debunked and found to be false. No credible source of such creatures was found and closer examination revealed anomalies typical of AI-generated content, such as unnatural leg movements, unnatural head movements and joined shoes of spectators. AI material detectors confirmed the artificial nature of these videos. Further, digital creators were found posting similar fabricated videos. Thus, these viral videos are conclusively identified as AI-generated and not real depictions of mutated animals.
Claims:
Viral videos show sea creatures with the head of a cow and the head of a Tiger.
Fact Check:
On receiving several videos of bizarre mutated animals, we searched for credible sources that have been covered in the news but found none. We then thoroughly watched the video and found certain anomalies that are generally seen in AI manipulated images.
Taking a cue from this, we checked all the videos in the AI video detection tool named TrueMedia, The detection tool found the audio of the video to be AI-generated. We divided the video into keyframes, the detection found the depicting image to be AI-generated.
In the same way, we investigated the second video. We analyzed the video and then divided the video into keyframes and analyzed it with an AI-Detection tool named True Media.
It was found to be suspicious and so we analyzed the frame of the video.
The detection tool found it to be AI-generated, so we are certain with the fact that the video is AI manipulated. We analyzed the final third video and found it to be suspicious by the detection tool.
The detection tool found the frame of the video to be A.I. manipulated from which it is certain that the video is A.I. manipulated. Hence, the claim made in all the 3 videos is misleading and fake.
Conclusion:
The viral videos claiming to show mutated animals with features like seal's body and cow's head are AI-generated and not real. A thorough investigation by the CyberPeace Research Team found multiple anomalies in AI-generated content and AI-content detectors confirmed the manipulation of A.I. fabrication. Therefore, the claims made in these videos are false.
- Claim: Viral videos show sea creatures with the head of a cow, the head of a Tiger, head of a bull.
- Claimed on: YouTube
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Introduction
The pervasive issue of misinformation in India is a multifaceted challenge with profound implications for democratic processes, public awareness, and social harmony. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken measures to counter misinformation during the 2024 elections. ECI has launched campaigns to educate people and urge them to verify election-related content and share responsibly on social media. In response to the proliferation of fake news and misinformation online, the ECI has introduced initiatives such as ‘Myth vs. Reality’ and 'VerifyBeforeYouAmplify' to clear the air around fake news being spread on social media. EC measures aim to ensure that the spread of misinformation is curbed, especially during election time, when voters consume a lot of information from social media. It is of the utmost importance that voters take in facts and reliable information and avoid any manipulative or fake information that can negatively impact the election process.
EC Collaboration with Tech Platforms
In this new age of technology, the Internet and social media continue to witness a surge in the spread of misinformation, disinformation, synthetic media content, and deepfake videos. This has rightly raised serious concerns. The responsible use of social media is instrumental in maintaining the accuracy of information and curbing misinformation incidents.
The ECI has collaborated with Google to empower the citizenry by making it easy to find critical voting information on Google Search and YouTube. In this way, Google supports the 2024 Indian General Election by providing high-quality information to voters, safeguarding platforms from abuse, and helping people navigate AI-generated content. The company connects voters to helpful information through product features that show data from trusted organisations across its portfolio. YouTube showcases election information panels, including how to register to vote, how to vote, and candidate information. YouTube's recommendation system prominently features content from authority sources on the homepage, in search results, and in the "Up Next" panel. YouTube highlights high-quality content from authoritative news sources during key moments through its Top News and Breaking News shelves, as well as the news watch page.
Google has also implemented strict policies and restrictions regarding who can run election-related advertising campaigns on its platforms. They require all advertisers who wish to run election ads to undergo an identity verification process, provide a pre-certificate issued by the ECI or anyone authorised by the ECI for each election ad they want to run where necessary, and have in-ad disclosures that clearly show who paid for the ad. Additionally, they have long-standing ad policies that prohibit ads from promoting demonstrably false claims that could undermine trust or participation in elections.
CyberPeace Countering Misinformation
CyberPeace Foundation, a leading organisation in the field of cybersecurity works to promote digital peace for all. CyberPeace is working on the wider ecosystem to counter misinformation and develop a safer and more responsible Internet. CyberPeace has collaborated with Google.org to run a pan-India awareness-building program and comprehensive multilingual digital resource hub with content available in up to 15 Indian languages to empower over 40 million netizens in building resilience against misinformation and practising responsible online behaviour. This step is crucial in creating a strong foundation for a trustworthy Internet and secure digital landscape.
Myth vs Reality Register by ECI
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the 'Myth vs Reality Register' to combat misinformation and ensure the integrity of the electoral process during the general elections 2024. The 'Myth vs Reality Register' can be accessed through the Election Commission's official website (https://mythvsreality.eci.gov.in/). All stakeholders are urged to verify and corroborate any dubious information they receive through any channel with the information provided in the register. The register provides a one-stop platform for credible and authenticated election-related information, with the factual matrix regularly updated to include the latest busted fakes and fresh FAQs. The ECI has identified misinformation as one of the challenges, along with money, muscle, and Model Code of Conduct violations, for electoral integrity. The platform can be used to verify information, prevent the spread of misinformation, debunk myths, and stay informed about key issues during the General Elections 2024.
The ECI has taken proactive steps to combat the challenge of misinformation which could cripple the democratic process. EC has issued directives urging vigilance and responsibility from all stakeholders, including political parties, to verify information before amplifying it. The EC has also urged responsible behaviour on social media platforms and discourse that inspires unity rather than division. The commission has stated that originators of false information will face severe consequences, and nodal officers across states will remove unlawful content. Parties are encouraged to engage in issue-based campaigning and refrain from disseminating unverified or misleading advertisements.
Conclusion
The steps taken by the ECI have been designed to empower citizens and help them affirm the accuracy and authenticity of content before amplifying it. All citizens must be well-educated about the entire election process in India. This includes information on how the electoral rolls are made, how candidates are monitored, a complete database of candidates and candidate backgrounds, party manifestos, etc. For informed decision-making, active reading and seeking information from authentic sources is imperative. The partnership between government agencies, tech platforms and civil societies helps develop strategies to counter the widespread misinformation and promote online safety in general, and electoral integrity in particular.
References
- https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2016941#:~:text=To%20combat%20the%20spread%20of,the%20ongoing%20General%20Elections%202024
- https://www.business-standard.com/elections/lok-sabha-election/ls-elections-2024-ec-uses-social-media-to-nudge-electors-to-vote-124040700429_1.html
- https://blog.google/intl/en-in/company-news/outreach-initiatives/supporting-the-2024-indian-general-election/
- https://blog.google/intl/en-in/partnering-indias-success-in-a-new-digital-paradigm/
Executive Summary:
In the digital world, people are becoming targets more and more of online scams, which rely on deception. One of the ways the social media is being used for the elections in recent time, is the "BJP - Election Bonus" offer that promises a cash prize of Rs. 5000 or more, through some easy questionnaire. This article provides the details of this swindle and reveals its deceptive tricks as well as gives a set of recommendations on how to protect yourself from such online fraud, especially during the upcoming elections.
False Claim:
The "BJP - Election Bonus" campaign boasts that by taking a few clicks of the mouse, users will get a cash prize. This scheme is nothing but a fake association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Government and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and therefore, it uses the images and brands of both of them to give the scheme an impression of legitimacy. The imposters are taking advantage of the public's trust for the Government and the widespread desire for remuneration to ensnare the unaware victims, specifically before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Deceptive Scheme:
- Tempting Social Media Offer: The fraud begins with an attractive link on the social media platforms. The scammers say that the proposal is related to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the caption of “The official party has prepared many gifts for their supporters.” accompanied by an image of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
- Luring with Money: The offer promises to give Rs.5,000 or more. This is aimed at drawing in people specifically during election campaigns; and people’s desire for financial gain.
- Tricking with Questions: When the link is clicked, the person is brought to the page with the simple questions. The purpose of these questions is to make people feel safe and believe that they have been selected for an actual government’s program.
- The Open-the-Box Trap: Finally, the questions are answered and the last instruction is to open-the-box for the prize. However, this is just a tactic for them to make you curious about the reward.
- Fake Reward and Spreading the Scam: Upon opening the box, the recipient will be greeted with the text of Rs. 5000. However, this is not true; it is just a way to make them share the link on WhatsApp, helping the scammers to reach more victims.
The fraudsters use political party names and the Prime Minister's name to increase the plausibility of it, although there is no real connection. They employ the people's desire for monetary help, and also the time of the elections, making them susceptible to their tricks.
Analytical Breakdown:
- The campaign is a cleverly-created scheme to lure people by misusing the trust they have in the Government. By using BJP's branding and the Prime Minister's photo, fraudsters aim to make their misleading offer look credible. Fake reviews and cash reward are the two main components of the scheme that are intended to lure users into getting involved, and the end result of this is the path of deception.
- Through sharing the link over WhatsApp, users become unaware accomplices that are simply assisting the scammers to reach an even bigger audience and hence their popularity, especially with the elections around the corner.
- On top of this, the time of committing this fraud is very disturbing, as the election is just round the corner. Scammers do this in the context of the political turmoil and the spread of unconfirmed rumors and speculation about the upcoming elections in the same way they did earlier. The fraudsters are using this strategy to take advantage of the political affiliations by linking their scam to the Political party and their Leaderships.
- We have also cross-checked and as of now there is no well established and credible source or any official notification that has confirmed such an offer advertised by the Party.
- Domain Analysis: The campaign is hosted on a third party domain, which is different from the official website, thus creating doubts. Whois information reveals that the domain has been registered not long ago. The domain was registered on 29th march 2024, just a few days back.
- Domain Name: PSURVEY[.]CYOU
- Registry Domain ID: D443702580-CNIC
- Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.hkdns.hk
- Registrar URL: http://www.hkdns.hk
- Updated Date: 2024-03-29T16:18:00.0Z
- Creation Date: 2024-03-29T15:59:17.0Z (Recently Created)
- Registry Expiry Date: 2025-03-29T23:59:59.0Z
- Registrant State/Province: Anhui
- Registrant Country: CN (China)
- Name Server: NORMAN.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
- Name Server: PAM.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
Note: Cybercriminals used Cloudflare technology to mask the actual IP address of the fraudulent website.
CyberPeace Advisory and Best Practices:
- Be careful and watchful for any offers that seem too good to be true online, particularly during election periods. Exercise caution at a high level when you come across such offers, because they are usually accompanied by dishonest schemes.
- Carefully cross-check the authenticity of every campaign or offer you’re considering before interacting with it. Do not click on suspicious links and do not share private data that can be further used to run the scam.
- If you come across any such suspicious activity or if you feel you have been scammed, report it to the relevant authorities, such as the local police or the cybercrime section. Reporting is one of the most effective instruments to prevent the spread of these misleading schemes and it can support the course of the investigations.
- Educate yourselves and your families on the usual scammers’ tricks, including their election-related strategies. Prompt people to think critically and a good deal of skepticism when they meet online offers and promotions that evoke a possibility to obtain money or rewards easily.
- Ensure that you are always on a high level of alert as you explore the digital field, especially during elections. The authenticity of the information you encounter should always be verified before you act on it or pass it over to someone else.
- In case you have any doubt or worry regarding a certain e-commerce offer or campaign, don’t hesitate to ask for help from reliable sources such as Cybersecurity experts or Government agencies. A consultation with credible sources will assist you in coming up with informed decisions and guarding yourself against being navigated by these schemes.
Conclusion:
The "BJP - Election Bonus" campaign is a real case study of how Internet fraud is becoming more popular day by day, particularly before the elections. Through the awareness of the tactics employed by these scammers and their abuse of the community's trust in the Government and political figures, we can equip ourselves and our communities to avert becoming the victim of such fraudulent schemes. As a team, we can collectively strive for a digital environment free of threats and breaches of security, even in times of high political tension that accompany elections.
