Cyber Crime | Business Upturn

North Korean hackers leverage AI, raising global cybersecurity concerns

Eesha Chakraborty — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 03:35:15 +0000

North Korean hackers, long notorious for their audacious cyberattacks, have taken their game to the next level by incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations. This development, reported by security experts and intelligence agencies, marks a concerning escalation in the sophistication and potential impact of North Korea’s cyber threats.

Previously known for brazen attacks like the Bangladesh central bank heist and the WannaCry ransomware epidemic, North Korean hackers are now leveraging AI’s power to create more convincing online personas and tailor phishing campaigns with unprecedented precision. Imagine receiving a LinkedIn message from a seemingly legitimate recruiter, only to discover later it was a meticulously crafted AI-generated profile designed to steal your credentials. This is the reality that cybersecurity professionals now face, with the added complexity of AI-powered attacks blurring the lines between human and machine interaction.

The integration of AI raises several critical concerns. Firstly, it facilitates targeted espionage and financial theft, potentially fueling North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. The ability to bypass language barriers and generate realistic documents enables hackers to infiltrate sensitive networks and steal valuable information, intellectual property, and funds. Secondly, it complicates global cybersecurity efforts. Identifying and neutralizing AI-powered attacks requires advanced detection algorithms and constant adaptation, posing a significant challenge for defense systems designed to combat traditional cyber threats.

The report by the National Intelligence Service further highlights North Korea’s ambitious AI development, encompassing government, academic, and commercial sectors. This comprehensive approach suggests a strategic focus on leveraging AI across various domains, including public health, nuclear safety, and military simulations. While some private entities claim to have integrated AI into their surveillance systems, the true extent of North Korea’s AI capabilities remains shrouded in secrecy.

The arms race in the cybersecurity realm is intensifying, with both defense and offense adopting AI tools. While machine learning algorithms traditionally aided in identifying suspicious network activity, offensive actors are now exploring large language models like ChatGPT to automate and personalize attacks. This dual-use nature of AI underscores the need for responsible development and deployment, ensuring its benefits outweigh the potential harm.

Enhanced international cooperation is crucial to share intelligence, develop robust AI-powered defense systems, and establish clear norms for responsible AI development. Additionally, continued investment in research and development is essential to stay ahead of the curve and ensure effective countermeasures against AI-powered cyberattacks.

Kerala High Court disposed a PIL seeking to block access to ‘Telegram’ in India

Sakshi Vats — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 07:12:54 +0000

On the basis of the argument made by the central government’s counsel, a division bench of the Kerala High Court’s Chief Justice S. Manikumar and Justice. Murali Purushothaman disposed the PIL on the grounds that the petitioner can approach the messaging service’s grievance officer in accordance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to have offensive content removed.

A woman filed the PIL, alleging that the Telegram was circulating offensive content featuring images of children and women on the messaging application.

“Telegram was also being used to promote terrorism and was creating disharmony in society. Telegram has no nodal officer or a registered office in India and investigating agencies were unable to ensure proper investigation as the users are not required to disclose their identity on the application,” the PIL stated.

The central government’s legal counsel also pointed out that, in addition to filing a grievance with the intermediary platform’s grievance officer, the petitioner also has the option of lodging a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency or the cybercrime cell for any criminal acts that are cognizable under the IPC or other applicable laws.

The central government counsel advised the petitioner to report cybercrime through the Cybercrime Reporting Portal.

Source: ANI

How should you safeguard your transactions? 5 UPI suggestions for risk-free online payments

Sakshi Vats — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 06:43:16 +0000

Internet payments have become increasingly popular, but so have cases of cybercrime, which make them risky. Cybercriminals may result in substantial financial losses. Here are five security guidelines to keep in mind while using UPI to make online payments:

Screen lock

Strong screen locks, passwords, and PINs are essential for preserving your phone’s security as well as the financial transaction and payment apps on it. This prevents unauthorised parties from accessing or leaking critical personal and financial information. It’s crucial to refrain from using obvious passwords like your name, birthday, or phone number.

Keep your PIN to yourself

By giving out your PIN to anyone, you open yourself up to fraud because unauthorised users could access your phone and carry out transactions. Your PIN should never be shared with anybody, and you should change it right away if you think it might have been compromised in order to stop any potential losses.

Avoid clicking on phoney links or responding to calls from unknown callers

To prevent money loss, be wary of phoney calls and links. Cybercriminals frequently call you pretending to be from banks or other organisations or send bogus messages with links in order to fool you into disclosing personal information like your PIN or OTP. Also, they can request that you download a third-party app for verification. It’s crucial to remember that banks never request such private information. Thus, avoid clicking on unconfirmed links and decline calls from shady sources or unfamiliar callers.

Update the UPI app frequently

To guarantee you have access to the most recent features and advantages, you must regularly upgrade your UPI payment app.Download the most recent version of the app from the app store after frequently checking for updates.

Don’t use numerous payment methods

Installing only trusted and verified payment programmes from the official app stores, such as Play Store or App Store, is advised to maintain the security of your online transactions. To reduce the risk of fraud, avoid downloading several payment apps to your phone.

Phishing calls from India involved in loss of $10 billion of US citizens

News Desk — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 07:49:32 +0000

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has found that phishing calls from Indian call centres accounted for the loss of $10 billion of US citizens. Phishing gangs in India have exploited more than 10.2 billion dollars, this year, an uptick of 47% compared to the previous year.

Senior citizens above 60 years, were the prime target of the phishing gangs. These senior citizens lost over $3 billion, in two years, according to FBI data. Senior citizens of the US have lost savings of life due to phishing calls calling impersonating tech support.

The embassy of US has now appointed a permanent representative in India, to work closely with the CBI, Interpol and Delhi police to bust such illegal call centres.

According to the FBI’s South Asia head, romance-related frauds were responsible for duping US citizens of 8000 crores in 2021, while tech support-related frauds exploited $3 billion in the last two years.

Suhel Daud, the FBI South Asia head said that tech support-related frauds have seen an uptick by 130% annually and exploited 9200 crores from US citizens in the last two years. The cybersecurity researchers blocked more than 20000 tech support scam attacks in 2021.

Daud also said that while it may not be a national security matter but it damages the reputation of a country. Such scams provide an unwanted label to the fifth-largest economy in the world.

The tech support uses scare tactics to trick individuals. According to Avast researcher, tech support-related fraud is a major issue in India.