Advisory for APS School Students

Introduction

Data Breaches have taken over cyberspace as one of the rising issues, these data breaches result in personal data making its way toward cybercriminals who use this data for no good. As netizens, it's our digital responsibility to be cognizant of our data and the data of one's organization. The increase in internet and technology penetration has made people move to cyberspace at a rapid pace, however, awareness regarding the same needs to be inculcated to maximise the data safety of netizens. The recent AIIMS cyber breach has got many organisations worried about their cyber safety and security. According to the HIPPA Journal, 66% of healthcare organizations reported ransomware attacks on them. Data management and security is the prime aspect of clients all across the industry and is now growing into a concern for many. The data is primarily classified into three broad terms-

• Personal Identified Information (PII) - Any representation of information that permits the identity of an individual to whom the information applies to be reasonably inferred by either direct or indirect means.
• Non-Public Information (NPI) - The personal information of an individual that is not and should not be available to the public. This includes Social Security Numbers, bank information, other personal identifiable financial information, and certain transactions with financial institutions.
• Material Non-Public Information (MNPI) - Data relating to a company that has not been made public but could have an impact on its share price. It is against the law for holders of nonpublic material information to use the information to their advantage in trading stocks.

This classification of data allows the industry to manage and secure data effectively and efficiently and at the same time, this allows the user to understand the uses of their data and its intensity in case of breach of data. Organisations process data that is a combination of the above-mentioned classifications and hence in instances of data breach this becomes a critical aspect. Coming back to the AIIMS data breach, it is a known fact that AIIMS is also an educational and research institution. So, one might assume that the reason for any attack on AIIMS could be either to exfiltrate patient data or could be to obtain hands-on the R & D data including research-related intellectual properties. If we postulate the latter, we could also imagine that other educational institutes of higher learning such as IITs, IISc, ISI, IISERs, IIITs, NITs, and some of the significant state universities could also be targeted. In 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Ministry of Education sent a directive to IITs and many other institutes to take certain steps related to cyber security measures and to create SoPs to establish efficient data management practices. The following sectors are critical in terms of data protection-

• Health sector
• Financial sector
• Education sector
• Automobile sector

These sectors are generally targeted by bad actors and often data breach from these sectors result in cyber crimes as the data is soon made available on Darkweb. These institutions need to practice compliance like any other corporate house as the end user here is the netizen and his/her data is of utmost importance in terms of protection.Organisations in today's time need to be in coherence to the advancement in cyberspace to find out keen shortcomings and vulnerabilities they may face and subsequently create safeguards for the same. The AIIMS breach is an example to learn from so that we can protect other organisations from such cyber attacks. To showcase strong and impenetrable cyber security every organisation should be able to answer these questions-

• Do you have a centralized cyber asset inventory?
• Do you have human resources that are trained to model possible cyber threats and cyber risk assessment?
• Have you ever undertaken a business continuity and resilience study of your institutional digitalized business processes?
• Do you have a formal vulnerability management system that enumerates vulnerabilities in your cyber assets and a patch management system that patches freshly discovered vulnerabilities?
• Do you have a formal configuration assessment and management system that checks the configuration of all your cyber assets and security tools (firewalls, antivirus management, proxy services) regularly to ensure they are most securely configured?
• Do have a segmented network such that your most critical assets (servers, databases, HPC resources, etc.) are in a separate network that is access-controlled and only people with proper permission can access?
• Do you have a cyber security policy that spells out the policies regarding the usage of cyber assets, protection of cyber assets, monitoring of cyber assets, authentication and access control policies, and asset lifecycle management strategies?
• Do you have a business continuity and cyber crisis management plan in place which is regularly exercised like fire drills so that in cases of exigencies such plans can easily be followed, and all stakeholders are properly trained to do their part during such emergencies?
• Do you have multi-factor authentication for all users implemented?
• Do you have a supply chain security policy for applications that are supplied by vendors? Do you have a vendor access policy that disallows providing network access to vendors for configuration, updates, etc?
• Do you have regular penetration testing of the cyberinfrastructure of the organization with proper red-teaming?
• Do you have a bug-bounty program for students who could report vulnerabilities they discover in your cyber infrastructure and get rewarded?
• Do you have an endpoint security monitoring tool mandatory for all critical endpoints such as database servers, application servers, and other important cyber assets?
• Do have a continuous network monitoring and alert generation tool installed?
• Do you have a comprehensive cyber security strategy that is reflected in your cyber security policy document?
• Do you regularly receive cyber security incidents (including small, medium, or high severity incidents, network scanning, etc) updates from your cyber security team in order to ensure that top management is aware of the situation on the ground?
• Do you have regular cyber security skills training for your cyber security team and your IT/OT engineers and employees?
• Do your top management show adequate support, and hold the cyber security team accountable on a regular basis?
• Do you have a proper and vetted backup and restoration policy and practice?

If any organisation has definite answers to these questions, it is safe to say that they have strong cyber security, these questions should not be taken as a comparison but as a checklist by various organisations to be up to date in regard to the technical measures and policies related to cyber security. Having a strong cyber security posture does not drive the cyber security risk to zero but it helps to reduce the risk and improves the fighting chance. Further, if a proper risk assessment is regularly carried out and high-risk cyber assets are properly protected, then the damages resulting from cyber attacks can be contained to a large extent.

Introduction

Since February 2020 the government has been taking keen steps to safeguard the Indian markets and the consumer, this could be seen in the forms of policies and exemptions for the market players and the consumers, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the markets places became vulnerable to loss and various forms of new crimes and frauds. The Government recently tabled the Jan Vishwas bill which is an aftermath of the Vivad se Vishwas Bill, 2020 which was tabled in February 2020 for creating a safe and dynamic market, this bill is a clear example of how AtmaNirbhar Bharat plays a crucial role in nations development.

What is Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 is a 108-page bill introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. The statement of objects and reasons of the Bill states, “To amend certain enactments for decriminalizing and rationalizing minor offenses to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.” The bill aims to promote ease of doing business in India by decriminalizing minor offences and amending 183 provisions in 42 Acts administered by 19 ministries. The bill proposes to replace minor offences with monetary penalties and rationalize existing monetary penalties based on the gravity of the offences. The Acts to be amended by the bill include-

• Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
• Public Debt Act, 1944
• Pharmacy Act, 1948
• Cinematograph Act, 1952
• Copyright Act, 1957
• Patents Act, 1970
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
• Trade Marks Act, 1999l Railways Act, 1989
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002
• Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
• Legal Metrology Act, 2009
• Factoring Regulation Act, 2011

The bill aims to decriminalize a large number of minor offences and replace them with monetary penalties. This step by the government is a clear indication of how important the market regulations are, in recent times Google was imposed with a penalty of 1300 crores and 900 crores for violating competitive market practices, these penalties, and criminalised actions will ensure proper compliance to laws of the land thus creating a blanket of safeguards for the Indian consumer and netizen.‍

What will the Ease of Business be?

The Government has been critical in pinpointing various parameters and factors to improve the ease of business in the country, this bill comes at the right time when we can see numerous start-ups and entrepreneurs emerging in our country. The parameters are as follows-

• Starting a Business of all
• Dealing with Construction Permits
• Getting Electricity
• Registering Property
• Getting Credit
• Protecting
• Minority Investors
• Paying Taxes
• Trading across Borders
• Enforcing Contracts and Resolving Insolvency

These parameters have been created with a sight on the future of the markets and how external factors like the Russia-Ukraine war can influence the markets. According to Minister Piyush Goyal, the fear of imprisonment for minor offences is a major factor hindering the growth of the business ecosystem and individual confidence in India. The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022 aims to address this issue by replacing minor offences with monetary penalties. The bill also proposes an increase of 10% in the minimum amount of fine and penalty levied after every three years, once the bill becomes a law.

Conclusion

The bill will create a level playing field for the market players and the consumers with the backing of strong legislation and precedents thus maintaining transparency and accountability in the system. The amended provisions will allow various already existing legislation to come in tune with the current times and emerging technologies. The nation is at a critical juncture to fabricate policies and laws to address the issues and threats of the future and hence such a bill will be the strengthening pillar of the Indian markets and cyber-ecosystem. The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022 has been referred to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny. The committee includes members from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and will submit its report to parliament by the second part of the Budget session in 2023, The members from the Lok Sabha include PP Chaudhary, Sanjay Jaiswal, Queen Ojha, Rajendra Agrawal, Gaurav Gogoi, A Raja, Rajendra Agarwal, Poonam Pramod Mahajan, and Sougata Ray.

Introduction

As we delve deeper into the intricate, almost esoteric digital landscape of the 21st century, we are confronted by a new and troubling phenomenon that threatens the very bastions of our personal security. This is not a mere subplot in some dystopian novel but a harsh and palatable reality firmly rooted in today's technologically driven society. We must grapple with the consequences of the alarming evolution of cyber threats, particularly the sophisticated use of artificial intelligence in creating face swaps—a technique now cleverly harnessed by nefarious actors to undermine the bedrock of biometric security systems.

What is GoldPickaxe?

It was amidst the hum of countless servers and data centers that the term 'GoldPickaxe' began to echo, sending shivers down the spines of cybersecurity experts. Originating from the intricate web spun by a group of Chinese hackers as reported in Dark Reading. GoldPickaxe represents the latest in a long lineage of digital predators. It is an astute embodiment of the disguise, blending into the digital environment as a seemingly harmless government service app. But behind its innocuous facade, it bears the intent to ensnare and deceive, with the elderly demographic being especially susceptible to its trap.  

Victims, unassuming and trustful, are cajoled into revealing their most sensitive information: phone numbers, private details, and, most alarmingly, their facial data. These virtual reflections, intended to be the safeguard of one's digital persona, are snatched away and misused in a perilous transformation. The attackers harness such biometric data, feeding it into the arcane furnaces of deepfake technology, wherein AI face-swapping crafts eerily accurate and deceptive facsimiles. These digital doppelgängers become the master keys, effortlessly bypassing the sentinel eyes of facial recognition systems that lock the vaults of Southeast Asia's financial institutions.

Through the diligent and unyielding work of the research team at Group-IB, the trajectory of one victim's harrowing ordeal—a Vietnamese individual pilfered of a life-altering $40,000—sheds light on the severity of this technological betrayal. The advancements in deep face technology, once seen as a marvel of AI, now present a clear and present danger, outpacing the mechanisms meant to deter unauthorized access, and leaving the unenlightened multitude unaware and exposed.

Adding weight to the discussion, experts, a potentate in biometric technology, commented with a somber tone: 'This is why we see face swaps as a tool of choice for hackers. It gives the threat actor this incredible level of power and control.' This chilling testament to the potency of digital fraudulence further emphasizes that even seemingly impregnable ecosystems, such as that of Apple’s, are not beyond the reach of these relentless invaders.

New Threat

Emerging from this landscape is the doppelgänger of GoldPickaxe specifically tailored for the iOS landscape—GoldDigger's mutation into GoldPickaxe for Apple's hallowed platform is nothing short of a wake-up call. It engenders not just a single threat but an evolving suite of menaces, including its uncanny offspring, 'GoldDiggerPlus,' which is wielding the terrifying power to piggyback on real-time communications of the affected devices. Continuously refined and updated, these threats become chimeras, each iteration more elusive, more formidable than its predecessor.

One ingenious and insidious tactic exploited by these cyber adversaries is the diversionary use of Apple's TestFlight, a trusted beta testing platform, as a trojan horse for their malware. Upon clampdown by Apple, the hackers, exhibiting an unsettling level of adaptability, inveigle users to endorse MDM profiles, hitherto reserved for corporate device management, thereby chaining these unknowing participants to their will.

How To Protect

Against this stark backdrop, the question of how one might armor oneself against such predation looms large. It is a question with no simple answer, demanding vigilance and proactive measures. 

General Vigilance : Aware of the Trojan's advance, Apple is striving to devise countermeasures, yet individuals can take concrete steps to safeguard their digital lives.

Consider Lockdown Mode:  It is imperative to exhibit discernment with TestFlight installations, to warily examine MDM profiles, and seriously consider embracing the protective embrace of Lockdown Mode. Activating Lockdown Mode on an iPhone is akin to drawing the portcullis and manning the battlements of one's digital stronghold. The process is straightforward: a journey to the settings menu, a descent into privacy and security, and finally, the sanctification of Lockdown Mode, followed by a device restart. It is a curtailment of convenience, yes, but a potent defense against the malevolence lurking in the unseen digital thicket.

As 'GoldPickaxe' insidiously carves its path into the iOS realm—a rare and unsettling occurrence—it flags the possible twilight of the iPhone's vaunted reputation for tight security. Should these shadow operators set their sights beyond Southeast Asia, angling their digital scalpels towards the U.S., Canada, and other English-speaking enclaves, the consequences could be dire.

Conclusion

Thus, it is imperative that as digital citizens, we fortify ourselves with best practices in cybersecurity. Our journey through cyberspace must be cautious, our digital trails deliberate and sparse. Let the specter of iPhone malware serve as a compelling reason to arm ourselves with knowledge and prudence, the twin guardians that will let us navigate the murky waters of the internet with assurance, outwitting those who weave webs of deceit. In heeding these words, we preserve not only our financial assets but the sanctity of our digital identities against the underhanded schemes of those who would see them usurped.

References 

• https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/new-ios-malware-stealing-face-id-data-bank-infos-on-iphones-how-to-protect-yourself-article-107761568
• https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/ios-malware-steals-faces-defeat-biometrics-ai-swaps
• https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/malware-adware/first-ever-ios-trojan-discovered-and-its-stealing-face-id-data-to-break-into-bank-accounts

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