Achive.php May 12, 2025 - The Cyber Shark
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Archives for May 12, 2025

India Boosts Financial Cybersecurity Following Cross-Border Tensions

Govt Directs RBI

India has urged the RBI, NPCI, and banks to strengthen cybersecurity amid rising tensions with Pakistan and threats to digital payment systems. To safeguard the nation’s financial institutions and digital payment infrastructure, the finance ministry has requested that the RBI, banks, and NPCI, among other important financial institutions, increase cybersecurity protection and remain vigilant. “Yes,” We’ve released a thorough advice on it,” a senior government source said about The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which runs the real-time payments system UPI, major banks, and a few other organisations, thought to be crucial to the safety and integrity of the nation’s financial system, are all considered financial institutions. The protection of NPCI and major banks serves as the foundation for the digital infrastructure that has revolutionised digital payments in India. Over 17–18 billion mobile payments of over Rs 24 lakh crore are made in India each month. The warning follows rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam massacre on April 22 and India’s counterterrorism actions. India thwarted waves of Pakistani drone and missile assaults on its border regions and military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and other places on the evening of May 8. The Centre has especially requested that these banks maintain heightened awareness and strengthen cybersecurity across the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) infrastructure, payment gateways, real-time gross settlement systems, and core banking systems. Two weeks after 26 people were killed in a terror strike in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, India began Operation Sindoor early the next day, targeting nine militant sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Given the current circumstances, CERT-In and the Reserve Bank of India previously urged the majority of significant financial institutions and payment providers to be ready for any cyberattacks. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has an office called the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) that keeps an eye on the nation’s digital assets and cybersecurity. Under the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO), the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is the national organization responsible for safeguarding Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) assets, whose disruption could have a significant effect on both economic stability and national security.

India Emerges as Key Growth Market for Google Cloud, Says Country MD

Google Cloud

India is one of Google Cloud’s fastest-growing and most strategic markets, driven by its vast scale and builder economy. With certified regions in Mumbai and Delhi, Google Cloud serves key sectors and continues major investments to expand its presence. India is one of the fastest-growing and most strategically important countries for Google Cloud, according to a top executive, because of its enormous customer base and worldwide construction industry. Bikram Singh Bedi, VP and Country MD of Google Cloud, said the business is very focused on the Indian market. “India is seen by us as a two-faceted market. The first dimension is to the scale of our operations; not many nations operate on this scale. India’s economy has a second component: builders.  India is one of our most important markets and one of Google Cloud’s fastest-growing nations, Bedi told PTI, adding that the company works closely with some businesses to develop for the global market. Mumbai and Delhi, two Google Cloud regions in India, have received certification from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity). These serve a wide spectrum of customers in industries like telecommunications, financial services, healthcare, and e-commerce. Furthermore, it has invested in subsea cable projects with landings in India, such as Raman, MIST, and IAX.  Among Google Cloud’s customers in India are well-known businesses including HDFC Group, ICICI Bank, Apollo 24/7, Manipal Hospitals, Flipkart, Meesho, Adani Group, Jio, and Airtel.  India has been and will continue to be an important and sought-after market.  Since this is one of our fastest-growing markets worldwide, our investments here are constantly ahead of the curve to take advantage of the opportunity,” Bedi said.

Pink Booths Upgraded with Cybercrime Tools to Aid Women and the Elderly in Lucknow

Pink Booths

Lucknow Police trained 99 Pink Booth Officers to tackle cybercrimes against women and the elderly. The workshop focused on digital complaint handling, fraud prevention, and securing online safety. In an attempt to enhance women’s digital and physical safety, the Lucknow Police Commissioner held a three-day intensive training program for Pink Booth Officers (PBOS). This gave them the tools they needed to better address the growing cyber threats against women. The goal of the event, which took place at Police Lines Seminar Hall from May 9 to May 11, was to improve officers’ technical proficiency in handling digital crimes to modernise the operation of Pink Booths, which are helpdesks specifically designed for women. Up to 99 female police officers were given practical instruction on how to use the Sanchar Saathi Portal and the Cyber Fraud Online Portal. Under the direction of cybercrime specialist Gautam Mishra, the seminar featured live demonstrations of data security procedures, protecting digital evidence, and complaint registration. According to Saumya Pandey, assistant commissioner of police for crime against women, women and the elderly may easily report and register stolen or missing property. Updates on the progress of filed FIRS are also available to them. “Assist with character verification and tenant background checks.  According to Pandey, victims of online fraud can immediately file complaints at any Pink Booth in order to take immediate action and freeze stolen funds. Pandey said the Pink Booths will now help older people and women who have trouble filing cybercrime complaints. They will also learn how to lock their cards and accounts in the event of cyber fraud. The initiative is part of the larger “Women’s Safety, Prosperity Guaranteed” campaign, which seeks to provide safer online and offline environments for women in Lucknow. Pink Booths are being reorganised as part of this program to serve as all-inclusive service locations for women’s support and safety requirements.