#FactCheck-Viral Claim That Modi’s Jhalmuri Vendor Was an SPG Commando Is False

Introduction

A hacking operation has corrupted data on Madhya Pradesh's e-Nagarpalika portal, a vital online platform for paying civic taxes that serves 413 towns and cities in the state. Due to this serious security violation, the portal has been shut down. The incident occurred in December 2023. This affects citizens' access to vital online services like possessions, water, and municipal tax payments, as well as the issuing of obituaries and certain documents offered via online portal. Ransomware which is a type of malware encodes and conceals a victim's files, and data making it inaccessible and unreachable unless the attacker is paid a ransom. When ransomware initially appeared, encryption was the main method of preventing individuals' data from such threats.

The Intrusion and Database Corruption: Exposing the Breach's Scope

The extent of the assault on the e-Nagarpalika portal was revealed by the Principal Secretary of the Urban Administration and Housing Department of Madhya Pradesh, in a startling revelation. Cybercriminals carried out a highly skilled assault that led to the total destruction of the data infrastructure covering all 413 of the towns for which the website was responsible.

This significant breach represents a thorough infiltration into the core of the electronic civic taxation system, not just an arrangement. Because of the attackers' nefarious intent, the data integrity was compromised, raising questions about the safeguarding of private citizen data. The extent of the penetration reaches vital city services, causing a reassessment of the current cybersecurity safeguards in place. 

In addition to raising concerns about the privacy of personal information, the hacked information system casts doubt on the availability of crucial municipal services. Among the vital services affected by this cyberattack are marriage licenses, birth and death documents, and the efficient handling of possessions, water, and municipal taxes.

The weaknesses of electronic systems, which are the foundation of contemporary civic services, are highlighted by this incident. Beyond the attack's immediate interruption, citizens now have to deal with concerns about the security of their information and the availability of essential services. This tragedy is a clear reminder of the urgent need for robust safety safeguards as authorities work hard to control the consequences and begin the process of restoration.

Offline Protections in Place

The concerned authority informed the general population that the offsite data, which has been stored up on recordings every three days, is secure despite the online attack. This preventive action emphasises how crucial offline restores are to lessening the effects of these kinds of cyberattacks. The choice to keep the e-Nagarpalika platform offline until a certain time highlights how serious the matter is and how urgently extensive reconstruction must be done to restore the online services offer

Effect on Civic Services

The e-Nagarpalika website is crucial to providing online municipal services, serving as an invaluable resource for citizens to obtain necessary paperwork and carry out diverse transactions. Civic organisations have been told to function offline while the portal remains unavailable until the infrastructure is fully operational. This interruption prompts worries about possible delays and obstacles citizens face when getting basic amenities during this time.

Examination and Quality Control

Information technology specialists are working diligently to look into the computer virus and recover the website, in coordination with the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation Limited, the state's cyber police, and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Reassuringly for impacted citizens, authorities note that there is currently no proof of data leaks arising from the hack.

Conclusion

The computerised attack on the e-Nagarpalika portal in Madhya Pradesh exposes the weakness of computer networks. It has affected the essential services to public services offered via online portal. The hack, which exposed citizen data and interfered with vital services, emphasises how urgently strong safety precautions are needed. The tragedy is a clear reminder of the need to strengthen technology as authorities investigate and attempt to restore the system. One bright spot is that the offline defenses in place highlight the significance of backup plans in reducing the impact of cyberattacks. The ongoing reconstruction activities demonstrate the commitment to protecting public data and maintaining the confidentiality of essential city operations.

References

• https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/cyber+attack
• https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware#:~:text=Ransomware%20is%20a%20type%20of,accessing%20their%20files%20and%20systems.
• https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/mp-s-e-nagarpalika-portal-suffers-cyber-attack-data-corrupted-officials-123122300519_1.html
• https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/mp-govts-e-nagar-palika-portal-hacked-data-of-over-400-cities-leaked

March 3rd 2023, New Delhi: If you have received any message that contains a link asking users to download an application to avail Income Tax Refund or KYC benefits with the name of Income Tax Department or reputed Banks, Beware!

CyberPeace Foundation and Autobot Infosec Private Limited along with the academic partners under CyberPeace Center of Excellence (CCoE) recently conducted five different studies on phishing campaigns that have been circulating on the internet by using misleading tactics to convince users to install malicious applications on their devices. The first campaign impersonates the Income Tax Department, while the rest of the campaigns impersonate ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, IDFC Bank and Axis bank respectively. The phishing campaigns aim to trick users into divulging their personal and financial information.

After a detailed study, the research team found that:

• All campaigns appear to be an offer from reputed entities, however hosted on third-party domains instead of the official website of the Income Tax Department or the respective Banks, raising suspicion.
• The applications ask several access permissions of the device. Moreover some of them seek users to provide full control of the device. Allowing such access permission could result in a complete compromise of the system, including access to sensitive information such as microphone recordings, camera footage, text messages, contacts, pictures, videos, and even banking applications.
• Cybercriminals created malicious applications using icons that closely resemble those of legitimate entities with the intention of enticing users into downloading the malicious applications.
• The applications collect user’s personal and banking information. Getting into this type of trap could lead users to face significant financial losses.
• While investigating the impersonated Income Tax Department’s application, the Research team identified the application sends http traffic to a remote server which acts as a Command and Control (CnC/C2) for the application.
• Customers who desire to avail benefits or refunds from respective banks, download relevant apps, believing that the chosen app will assist them. However, they are not always aware that the app may be fraudulent.

“The Research highlights the importance of being vigilant while browsing the internet and not falling prey to such phishing attacks. It is crucial to be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, as they may contain malware that can harm the device or compromise the data.” spokesperson, CyberPeace added.

In addition to this in an earlier report released in last month, the same research team had drawn attention to the WhatsApp messages masquerading as an offer from Tanishq Jewellers with links luring unsuspecting users with the promise of free valentine’s day  presents making the rounds on the app.

CyberPeace Advisory:

• The Research team recommends that people should avoid opening such messages sent via social platforms. One must always think before clicking on such links, or downloading any attachments from unauthorised sources.
• Downloading any application from any third party sources instead of the official app store should be avoided. This will greatly reduce the risk of downloading a malicious app, as official app stores have strict guidelines for app developers and review each app before it gets published on the store.
• Even if you download the application from an authorised source, check the app’s permissions before you install it. Some malicious apps may request access to sensitive information or resources on your device. If an app is asking for too many permissions, it’s best to avoid it.
• Keep your device and the app-store app up to date. This will ensure that you have the latest security updates and bug fixes.
• Falling into such a trap could result in a complete compromise of the system, including access to sensitive information such as microphone recordings, camera footage, text messages, contacts, pictures, videos, and even banking applications and could lead users to financial loss.
• Do not share confidential details like credentials, banking information with such types of Phishing scams.
• Never share or forward fake messages containing links on any social platform without proper verification.

Source : https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/alert-cybercriminals-target-taxpayers-and-banking-customers-with-phishing-campaign-and-malicious-application20230303182938/

Introduction

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ( MeitY) through its Information Security Education & Awareness ( ISEA ) came up with an advisory regarding the growing cases of e-challan fraud. Cybercriminals are exploiting the beliefs of individuals by attracting them into clicking malicious links under the impression of paying traffic fines. Cybercriminals employ sending phishing messages and impersonating official e-challan notifications as a primary method. These messages are crafted in such a way that portrays a sense of urgency, provoking individuals to click on a link for spontaneous payment. For building trust, the messages are deviously created by scammers depicting official communication, which in actuality are fake messages targeting individuals for committing online financial fraud.

Unveiling the E-Challan Scam

Scammers send a text message to your phones that closely resembles e-challan alerts. The text appears from the traffic police, informing the netizens of a traffic violation that requires a fine payment. These messages contain a link and a text message urging the recipient to settle the fine by clicking on the links to make the payment.  Scammers have started trapping innocent individuals through such fake messages. These scammers are creating and sending fake messages that look like traffic challan alert messages. However, it is a completely deceptive and fake message. Such messages contain malicious links to fake website, leading users to visit the fake website and enter their bank account details, or make the payment which ultimately leads to financial loss to victims. Cyber scammers have meticulously copied the format used by the traffic authorities however a close examination can help us spot the trap. The modus operandi of such type of scam is to get the targeted individuals to click on a malicious link for payment of traffic e-challan. Once you click on such malicious payment link to pay for the e-challan the individuals unknowingly will end up paying the cyber criminals instead of the police in a bid to discharge the traffic e-challan.

How to spot a fake E-Challan?

• Verify the Vehicle Number: Make sure that the vehicle number mentioned in the message matches your vehicle’s number. Cross-check this information with your vehicle’s number plate or the smart card ( blue book) issued by the Regional Transport Office ( RTO).
• Verify the E-challan Number: Verify the validity of the e-challan number by logging into the official traffic police website or app. Legitimate e-challans will have a corresponding record that can be cross-checked for authenticity. The challan number can be verified by logging in to the official e-challan website. It is always advisable to Visit the official government website to check if you have actually been fined.
• Inspect the Message Content: Give attention to the language inculcated in the message. Hackers' messages may contain grammatical errors or unusual phrases. For example, cybercriminals might encourage victims to visit the RTO office in person. Trying to build up confidence among the victims. Also, it is important that you do not make such payments in haste. Vehicle owners must check such messages carefully before clicking on any link.

Best Practices to Stay Safe

• Be aware of unbidden messages: Be cautious when you receive unsolicited e- challan notifications. Abstain yourself by clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. 
• Always stick to legitimate or official websites: The scammers use links which look similar to the official link, and a casual glance can miss the difference. Hence it is strictly advisable to visit the official websites only. Also do note that government websites will always have the domain '.gov.in'.  The official website of Traffic Challan is https://echallan.parivahan.gov.in/ 
• Get it cross-checked through official channels: Always cross-check the authenticity of an e-challan by directly accessing official channels, such as the official traffic police website or application. 
• Connect with the RTO directly: If in doubt, independently connect with the Regional Transport Office ( RTO) using official contact details to verify the authenticity of the e-challan.  It is best not to solely rely on information received from suspicious messages. 
• Software update: Make sure that your device’s security software is up to date to protect against malware and phishing scams.

Conclusion:

Cybercriminals are exploiting the fear of traffic fines to trick individuals into clicking on malicious links and revealing their personal and financial information. These scams can lead to significant financial losses for the victims. To stay safe, it is important to be cautious of unsolicited messages, verify the authenticity of e-challans through official channels, and avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. Awareness is the first line of defence in the evolving landscape of online threats. 

References:

• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/ahmedabad-residents-duped-out-of-lakhs-in-e-challan-scam-cops-arrest-jharkhand-man/articleshow/103528317.cms
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/save/new-traffic-e-challan-fraud-heres-how-to-identify-scam-messages-and-avoid-getting-duped/articleshow/104960817.cms
• https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/explained-the-new-e-challan-scam-how-we-can-escape-it-4342129

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