the cyber shark Archives - Page 8 of 18

Rajasthan Education Department Website Hacked by Alleged ‘Pakistan Cyber Force

The Rajasthan Education Department’s website was hacked on April 29, 2025, displaying provocative messages allegedly from the “Pakistan Cyber Force.” Authorities have launched an investigation, while experts call for urgent cybersecurity reforms amid rising attacks on government digital assets. JAIPUR: On 29 April 2025, a cyberattack targeting the Rajasthan Education Department’s official webpage changed the homepage to show some divisive messages posing as the “Pakistan Cyber Force.” In one of the letters, the Pahalgam terror attack was described as an “inside job,” meaning it was orchestrated from within. Another person called the incident a “false flag by the Indian government, designed to incite conflict and religious division.” Additionally, the hackers made derogatory remarks on Himanshi Narwal, the late Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s widow, whose picture sitting next to her husband’s body was recently widely shared on social media. Shortly after the breach was discovered, the department’s website was removed. In reaction to the cyberattack, Education Minister Madan Dilawar declared, “The Education Department’s IT wing has been activated.” The website has been taken down for the time being, and recovery work is moving quickly. We have also reported the incident to cybersecurity agencies. To determine the group behind the cyber attack and the degree of the damage, an enquiry has been started. “At this time, there is no proof that any private information has been disclosed. To guarantee the security and integrity of our data, a thorough audit of every system is being carried out,” he continued. Experts Demand Immediate Reforms in Cybersecurity The persistent exploitation of government digital assets has sparked concerns from cyber specialists. They estimate that fraudsters have taken over more than 20 lakh pages connected to state departments nationwide. It is estimated that more than 8 lakh of these pages—including some from the Home Department and district-level police units—have been hacked in Rajasthan alone. Experts emphasise the urgent need for strong digital security frameworks and improved monitoring to safeguard government web infrastructure in light of the growing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks.

Reddit Answers’ Debuts in India: AI Summaries and Smarter Searches Now Live

“Reddit Answers” in India, an AI-powered tool that offers users curated summaries, topic suggestions, and conversational responses. The platform aims to boost engagement by integrating AI into search and plans further expansion in India with a local office in Bengaluru. On April 24, 2025, Reddit Answers, a new AI service, was introduced in India. In addition to offering users curated summaries of pertinent comments and previous postings, the tool assists users in asking inquiries. Only a few users had access to the capability, which has been in testing since December 2024. The company’s homepage now features a new button that leads to the AI-powered search tool, which is now more widely accessible. Similar to how users might engage with Chatgpt, Perplexity, or other AI chatbots, clicking this button directs them to a page where they can pose inquiries to the AI. How Reddit Answers work Instead of directing users to Google to look for posts, the function aims to keep them on the platform. Reddit is setting Reddit Answers apart from other AI-based chatbots in this way. For instance, Reddit Answers’ conversational tool will provide a summary of the most recent Bollywood news in bullet points if a user queries the platform, “What is the latest Bollywood gossip?” Additionally, it will suggest related topics and subreddits on the same subject. Google’s AI Overview, which now shows up at the top of some Google search results, is quite similar to the structure of Reddit Answers. The social media site has been attempting to challenge conventional search engines by further integrating artificial intelligence into its search feature. Another instance would be if a person inquired, “I’m going to Kolkata.” Which locations offer the greatest authentic Bengali thali? The AI-powered feature highlights must-try dishes, summarises suggested locations, and gives links to original publications. Reddit Answers outperforms Google when it comes to complex topics with different points of view. One of the primary distinctions between the two search engines is this. For instance, when questioned, “What are the advantages and disadvantages of residing in Gurugram?” Reddit Answers presents viewpoints from both sides, highlighting five advantages and five disadvantages. Links to one or two pertinent Reddit posts on the subject are included with each point. Reddit and Google announced a partnership last month, aiming to use the Gemini tool to help users find answers quickly and enhance search relevance. Reddit has over 100,000 online communities and 400 million weekly active users. Reddit went public earlier last year. During an October earnings call, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman referred to search as “a key part of the strategy” for the firm, pointing out that an increasing percentage of users were relying on Google to find material on Reddit. By boosting platform traffic in recent months, Google has helped Reddit’s spectacular growth by attracting a significant number of new members. Since its inception in 2005, Reddit has offered its members free access to the network; however, it now intends to impose a paywall on certain material. Reddit is now looking to India for growth, even though the US is still one of its biggest markets. According to reports earlier this year, Reddit was considering hiring a local staff and opening an office in Bengaluru in order to reach a new audience of users.

Pahalgam Attack: Cybersecurity Warning Is Issued to Protect Digital Assets Following Hacker Attack in Pakistan

The Pahalgam Attack, a Pakistani hacker group, Team Insane PK, vandalised the Army College of Nursing website, prompting a nationwide cybersecurity alert in India. Authorities warn of potential future attacks targeting critical infrastructure as part of a broader cyberwarfare strategy. The Indian government has issued a cybersecurity alert after a hacking group based in Pakistan targeted the Army College of Nursing following an attempt to compromise the G20 website. All government ministries, departments, and organizations have been directed to strengthen their cyber defenses to prevent such incursions. According to sources, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has prepared an internal assessment following the most recent cyberattack, which occurred soon after the Pahalgam terror assault. As part of a larger cyberwarfare plan, the agency believes that further cyberattacks, especially on critical infrastructure, may be on the horizon. All departments are advised by a reviewed alert to improve their cybersecurity procedures immediately. They have been told to put strong security measures in place and adhere to Cyber Hygiene Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) in order to stop unauthorized access and data breaches. The Army College of Nursing’s homepage was vandalised on April 25 by the hacking collective Team Insane PK, which is based in Pakistan. The headline said, “You are hacked!” and also included images of the latest Pahalgam massacre and militant Burhan Wani. “Our religion, customs, and beliefs are miles apart—and that makes us stronger,” the hackers added in a provocative message. The two-nation hypothesis is true; it was not merely a theory. You are Hindu, and we are Muslims. Allah is with us. You will die because of your religion, not because it will save you. Said, we are too strong and superior. Authorities view this as a psychological warfare approach meant to undermine Indian institutions, in addition to being a felony. The origin and network of the hacker organisation are being investigated, and attempts are being made to track them down.

Pimpri-Chinchwad Cops Nab Duo in Multinational Cyber Scam Involving ₹2.5 Crore Fraud

Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police arrested two individuals for supplying mule bank accounts used in a ₹2.52 crore share market scam targeting a senior citizen. The network involved links to cybercriminals from Dubai, Pakistan, and other countries, using accounts sourced from vulnerable individuals. On April 22, 2025, officials said that two people had been arrested by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police’s cyber division for giving mule bank accounts to two scammers, one from Dubai and one from Pakistan. On March 24, police say a senior citizen who retired from the state irrigation department lost ₹2.52 crore in a share market scam. On social media, the accused, who subsequently testified before the police, contacted the complainant and assured him of substantial financial returns. When the elderly man realised he had been tricked, he went to the police. One Balasaheb Sakharam Chaure from Kaij in the Beed district has already been taken into custody by the cyber police in this case. “Further investigation showed that some of the fraud money was received in a bank account operating from Sangli,” stated Pravin Swami, assistant police inspector of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police’s cyber cell. Consequently, our teams hurried to Sangli and arrested Amol Patil, who had transferred 6% of Yunus Dilawar Chaughule’s bank account to him. On April 17, both defendants were taken into custody in Sangli. Yunus Dilawar owns and operates a mobile store. A man from Madhya Pradesh was contacted by both of the arrested suspects, according to additional research. During their time in Madhya Pradesh, they worked together. Police believe Yunus Dilawar was assigned to obtain bank accounts from Sangli and transfer them to the Madhya Pradesh-based individual. To yet, Yunus has given the Madhya Pradesh-based man access to eight or ten of these bank accounts, for which he has paid ₹2 to ₹2.5 lakh in fees. The Madhya Pradesh suspect is being sought, according to the police. The investigation found that Ganesh Kale was from Dubai and Chaure was a member of a cybercrime group commanded by a Pakistani individual. Chaure in the Marathwada area used to give the two mule bank accounts. When he first met Chaure, Kale was employed as an MLM (multilevel marketing) executive. Kale and the Pakistani national persuaded Chaure to grant them commission-based mule bank accounts. Chaure has collected ₹2.5 lakh in commission and has so far transferred 15 to 20 mule bank accounts from the Marathwada region. To open these bank accounts, he used to get official documentation from labourers, drivers, and uneducated people. Additionally, he had communication with cybergangs based in Nepal, Dubai, and other countries, according to Assistant Inspector Pravin Swami of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police cyber cell.

Google-Kantar study presents a cautiously positive view of India’s adoption of Gen AI

A Google-Kantar study highlights growing interest in Generative AI in India, though challenges in awareness and usability persist. Google’s push for localised language support, simpler interfaces, and device integration aims to make its Gemini AI more accessible across diverse user groups. The country’s use of Generative AI (Genai) is changing, according to a recent study by Google and Kantar India. Although interest in the technology is growing, there are still several barriers to entry, particularly in the areas of knowledge and usability. Early users of Google’s Gemini platform, however, are citing significant advantages, pointing to a possible route for broader adoption if these obstacles can be removed. Google is aggressively seeking to increase capabilities and streamline access. The study includes more than 8,000 in-person interviews from various town classes in 18 cities between November 2024 and March 2025. Men and women from socioeconomic classes A and B who were between the ages of 18 and 44 were the survey’s target respondents (referred to as “Indian” in the report). Although interest in AI is growing, the survey found a sizable knowledge gap. Less than one in three Indians have used a generative AI tool, and three out of five are unaware of what artificial intelligence is or does. Understanding how to access and use these technologies is cited as a barrier by three-fourths of individuals who are not currently using Genai. Google is concentrating on making its AI products more user-friendly to meet this challenge. We’ve begun incorporating a lot of those [Genai] features. You’re starting to notice a single app more and more now.”All of these features are built into the Gemini app,” said Manish Gupta, Senior Director at Google DeepMind, in an exclusive interview. The goal of this consolidation is to give users a single location for all of their generative AI requirements while also removing the confusion that is frequently brought on by different AI services. Google is giving multimodal interaction top priority to further improve accessibility. According to Mr. Gupta, “so users can ask them [AI] with a few prompts.” As a result, Gemini will be more user-friendly for a larger spectrum of users by enabling text, speech, and visual inputs. Google is also concentrating on diversity by providing language support. “Our team has been working hard,” Mr. Gupta emphasised, “and we can improve the quality [of AI output] by understanding over 100 Indian languages.” This aids the business in localising AI advancements, especially in India, where not everyone speaks English. Beyond the app experience, Google is also attempting to use smaller language models to integrate AI capabilities straight into gadgets. This makes Gemini more accessible even in places with constrained bandwidth by enhancing performance and lowering dependency on continuous internet connectivity. Early adopters are already discovering useful uses for Gemini, despite the difficulties in gaining access to AI technologies. The survey outlines a variety of use cases, such as researching difficult subjects, helping with schoolwork, organising trips, obtaining “how-to” guides, professional email support, purchasing advice, picture creation, coding aid, and even gastronomic exploration. 75% of Indians believe that to thrive in life, they need a daily growth collaborator, and Gemini is well-positioned to be that person. In its report on the study, Google said that “for those who have overcome the initial barriers, the impact of Genai often goes beyond just task completion – it’s making a difference in how they feel about their capabilities.” The Google-Kantar report paints a cautiously hopeful picture of Genai in India. Although there are still many obstacles to overcome in terms of usability and awareness, Google’s efforts to simplify its products, give localized language support top priority, and incorporate AI directly into devices are essential steps in realizing the technology’s full potential as a “daily growth collaborator” for Indians from all socioeconomic backgrounds. The complete report is anticipated to provide more details on how Gen Z and Millennials view common problems.

Shaadi.com in Trouble: Hyderabad Police File Cyber Fraud Case Against Anupam Mittal’s Platform

The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have filed a case against Shaadi.com after a woman was defrauded of ₹11 lakh through a fake profile on the platform. The incident has sparked concerns over the site’s lax verification processes and raised questions about digital intermediary accountability. A lady doctor was defrauded of Rs 11 lakh by a phoney profile on Shaadi.com, prompting Hyderabad’s Cybercrime Police to open a formal probe into the website. According to reports, J Vamshi Krishna, the accused, utilised a premium account to fabricate a phoney persona to entice the victim with promises of marriage. Without conducting any background checks or verification, Krishna took advantage of the platform’s services to directly access the victim. He persuaded the woman to send money by claiming financial hardship, and then he threatened her with private information. Officials characterised this as an instance of money abuse combined with strategic emotional blackmail. Shaadi.com Under Fire for Careless Verification and Profit Motive Krishna had committed similar crimes in at least 20 other cases in several states, according to investigations. Shaadi.com allegedly failed to authenticate papers or verify identification, allowing fraudsters to take advantage of unchecked vulnerabilities, even though it marketed its premium profiles as “verified.” The platform’s revenue-first strategy, which put subscriptions ahead of consumer safety, was condemned by sources in the cybercrime section. Concerns regarding intermediary accountability were raised when the suspect’s phoney profile was accepted and permitted to interact directly with users without the need for required safety procedures like ID verification. Policy Implications and Legal Repercussions for Digital Platforms Shaadi.com has been booked by the police under the Information Technology Act and pertinent Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections. The case is being looked into as a precedent for digital intermediary accountability under India’s developing cyber laws, in addition to being probed as a stand-alone fraud. The controversy surrounding India’s digital economy and the absence of regulations governing dating and marriage platforms has been reignited by this high-profile reservation. Cybersecurity experts contend that platforms should be held responsible for failures resulting from their lack of due diligence if they offer “verified” services.

Pahalgam Attack: The Urgent Need to Stop Spreading Fake and Harmful News on Social Media

The recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, has left the nation shocked and grieving. With 26 innocent lives lost and several others injured, the tragedy has once again exposed not only the dark realities of terrorism but also the dangerous role of misinformation in the digital age. While the authorities work tirelessly to investigate and maintain national security, a parallel crisis is unfolding online — the viral spread of fake news, communal hate, and unverified claims. This blog is a call to action: stop spreading negative, harmful, and unverified content online. Let’s understand how this digital behaviour fuels chaos, why we must act responsibly, and what steps are being taken by the Indian government to protect the nation in cyberspace. What Happened in Pahalgam? On April 22, 2025, a group of armed terrorists launched a brutal attack at a resort in Pahalgam, targeting innocent tourists. The terrorist group known as Kashmir Resistance, affiliated with the Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the assault. Eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigations suggest that the attack was premeditated, highly organised, and intended to create maximum fear and disruption. While security forces have launched counter-operations and investigations, the digital response on social media has revealed another vulnerability: the mass circulation of misinformation. Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword Social media has immense power—it can inform, unite, and mobilise. But in the wrong hands, or with careless usage, it becomes a weapon of division and fear. Following the Pahalgam attack, we observed: Circulation of religiously biased narratives falsely suggesting targeted killings Sharing of gruesome images and videos without verification or consent Leaking of sensitive government or military movements Viral WhatsApp forwards and posts filled with baseless speculations and communal slurs Most of these were either completely unverified or deliberately misleading, and each share only made the situation worse. Why Sharing Unverified News Is Dangerous Here’s what happens when false information spreads unchecked: It fuels panic and fear: Citizens react emotionally, often irrationally, causing public unrest or fear-based decisions. It gives terrorists an advantage: When citizens unknowingly leak troop movement or response strategies, it arms terrorists with intelligence. It deepens communal divides: Terrorist attacks are strategic—if we respond with communal hatred, we’re playing into their hands. It obstructs official investigations: Authorities spend precious time countering rumours rather than focusing on security and justice. Think Before You Share: A Responsible Digital Code Before hitting “share” on any post related to national tragedies or security events, ask yourself: Is this content from a verified and trusted news source? Could this post trigger hatred or cause panic? Does this reveal sensitive or strategic information? Am I helping or hurting the situation by sharing this? If your answer is unsure about any of the above, don’t share. It’s that simple. What the Indian Government Is Doing to Combat Misinformation and Terror India has taken several cyber and tech initiatives to safeguard the country not just physically, but also digitally. Here are some major efforts: Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): A pan-India infrastructure for dealing with cybercrime cases efficiently. It helps states and union territories in tracking and solving cases. National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC): Operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor internet traffic, detect cyber threats, and gather digital intelligence. CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team): Acts as the first responder to any major cyber incident. It also runs Cyber Swachhta Kendra, which promotes safe internet habits among users. Public Awareness Campaigns: The government regularly collaborates with social media platforms to flag fake news, remove hate content, and promote verified information during crises. The Role of Technology: How Can Indian Tech Help? Here’s how Indian innovation and startups can contribute to a safer digital ecosystem: AI-powered Fact-checking Tools: Real-time detection of fake news and deepfakes Secure Messaging Platforms: End-to-end encrypted tools with flagging for harmful content Geo-fencing Alerts: Preventing the sharing of location-based military or sensitive operations Public Reporting Portals: Apps where citizens can report misleading posts or hate content instantly India’s tech sector is growing rapidly—now is the time to build ethical, responsible digital tools for our national safety. The Role of Citizens: You Are the First Line of Digital Defence You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to help the nation. You just need to be aware. Here’s how: Share information responsiblyCall out hate or false claims in your networkEducate others about fact-checkingSupport initiatives like Digital India, Cyber Swachhta Abhiyan, and media literacy programsReport suspicious posts to platforms and authorities National tragedies like the Pahalgam attack are heartbreaking—but they’re also moments of reckoning. They remind us of the values we must protect: unity, humanity, and truth. In the digital world, each one of us is a media outlet—and with that comes great responsibility. Let us pledge today to use the internet wisely. Let’s stop the chain of unverified, negative, and harmful news. Let’s amplify real stories, verified facts, and messages of unity. [Terrorism seeks to break us, confuse us, and divide us. By spreading fake news, we help them. By standing together with the truth, we defeat them.] [At The Cyber Share, we’re committed to promoting digital awareness, cyber hygiene, and responsible tech use. Join us in building a smarter, safer, and united digital India.]

High-Tech Hoax: Fraudster Steals ₹1.10 Cr by Using a WhatsApp Profile Picture

A fraudster impersonated a company chairman on WhatsApp using a fake profile picture and tricked a Chief Revenue Officer into transferring ₹1.10 crore. Authorities urge extra caution with financial requests over messaging apps and have launched an investigation under cybercrime laws. In a startling cyber fraud case, a con artist acting as the business’s chairman on WhatsApp scammed a 51-year-old Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of a private company in Dharashiv out of over ₹1.10 crore. On April 15, a person posing as the company’s chairman sent the victim a WhatsApp message, according to police officials. The chairman’s photo was used as the profile picture, so even though the message was from an unknown number, the CRO thought it was authentic. Citing the new number as his updated contact, the sender requested that he save it. The impostor got in touch with the CRO once more two days later and asked about the balance of the company’s account. To further win his faith, the scammer pretended to be meeting with government representatives and urgently asked for ₹1.10 crore to be sent for a project-related expense. After receiving the bank account information, the CRO made the transfer since they thought it was a legitimate request. When the company’s accountant told the actual chairman about the transaction, the fraud was exposed. The chairman was shocked and explained that he had not asked for such a transfer. When the CRO discovered the fraud, he contacted the bank right away and then informed the police. Along with pertinent provisions of the Information Technology Act, such as Section 66C (identity theft) and Section 66D (cheating by personation utilising computer resources), a cheating case has been filed under Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. To find the fraudster and retrieve the money that was sent, investigations are being conducted. The public and business professionals have once again been advised by authorities to handle financial transactions with extreme caution and to double-check requests, particularly those made over messaging platforms.

Microsoft discloses how AI techniques have increased the risk of tech support fraud, employment fraud, and e-commerce fraud

Microsoft’s latest Cyber Signals report reveals that AI is fueling sophisticated fraud schemes in e-commerce, job recruitment, and tech support by enabling realistic fake websites, job offers, and social engineering attacks. The company has blocked billions in fraud attempts and urges users to stay vigilant and verify sources. According to the latest Cyber Signals study from Microsoft, artificial intelligence has significantly lowered barriers for hackers, enabling more intricate and believable fraud schemes. Microsoft rejected 49,000 phoney partnership enrollments, halted $4 billion in fraud attempts, and stopped over 1.6 million bot signup attempts per hour between April 2024 and April 2025. E-commerce fraud: AI can quickly produce realistic-looking phoney stores Thanks to AI algorithms, scammers can now create believable e-commerce websites in a matter of minutes rather than days or weeks. With artificial intelligence (AI)-generated product descriptions, images, and phoney customer evaluations, these websites mimic actual businesses. Another degree of dishonesty is introduced by AI-powered chatbots for customer support, which engage with consumers and postpone complaints using prewritten justifications to postpone chargebacks. Microsoft claims that the primary origins of this AI-powered fraud are China and Germany, with the latter being singled out due to its status as one of the largest e-commerce markets in the EU. In order to combat these assaults, Microsoft has incorporated fraud detection features into a number of its products, including Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Edge, which provide deep learning-based domain impersonation detection and typo protection for websites. Employment fraud includes phoney interviews and employment offers enabled by AI Generative AI has increased employment theft by allowing scammers to create phoney job postings, credentials that have been stolen, and AI-powered email campaigns that are directed at job searchers. These scams might appear authentic through automated correspondence and AI-powered interviews, making it more difficult to identify fraudulent offers. Warning signs include unsolicited job offers that seem too good to be true, requests for personal information, such as bank account details, and offers that make large compensation promises for minimal qualifications. Microsoft cautions job seekers to verify the credibility of employers by cross-referencing corporate information and to be wary of communications from free domains rather than official company email addresses. On official websites and platforms like LinkedIn. Tech support fraud: AI strengthens social engineering attacks Even if other tech support schemes do not yet use AI, Microsoft has witnessed financially motivated gangs like Storm-1811 use voice phishing to imitate IT support to gain victims’ devices through legitimate features like Windows Quick Assist. To produce more convincing social engineering lures, AI techniques can speed up the gathering and organisation of data on the intended victims.

Cyber Fraud Alert: Ministry Of Home Affairs Warns Citizens about Fake Booking Websites Targeting Pilgrims and Tourists

The Ministry of Home Affairs has warned against rising online booking scams targeting tourists via fake websites and social media ads. Citizens are urged to verify platforms before payments and report fraud through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal or helpline 1930. Mumbai: The Ministry of Home Affairs has warned the public about online booking scams, particularly those that target tourists and religious pilgrims nationwide. According to the officials, these scams are being carried out via Facebook postings, phoney websites, misleading social media profiles, and sponsored ads on search engines like Google. According to statistics, Mumbai recorded 19 cases involving bogus websites in the first quarter of this year; just four of these cases were found, and three people were taken into custody. The officials claim that these scams entail the establishment of phoney but professional-looking websites, social media profiles, and WhatsApp accounts that offer services like online taxi and taxi service bookings, holiday packages, religious tours, and helicopter reservations for Kedarnath, Chaar Dhaam, pilgrims’ guest houses, and hotels. “Unsuspecting individuals, upon making payments through these portals, often realise they have been duped when no confirmation or service is received, and the contact numbers go unreachable,” the alert read. “Be sure a website is legitimate before making a purchase. When clicking on “sponsored” or unidentified links on Facebook, WhatsApp, or Google, exercise caution. To double-check reservations, only utilise trustworthy travel agencies or official government websites. The warning further said, “Report such websites right away at the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal: www.cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 in case of any fraud.” The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre is taking several steps to stop these scams. Scam signals are often communicated with IT intermediaries like Google, Facebook, and WhatsApp for proactive identification. States and UTS where crimes originate are being made more aware of cybercrime hotspots. Fake websites /advertisements and impersonating social media accounts are being deleted periodically to safeguard citizens. The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal’s suspect checking and reporting tool was created to make reporting easier, according to government representatives.

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