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Major Uttarakhand govt websites impacted by malware attack restored

Major Uttarakhand govt websites impacted by malware attack restored

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 11:04 PM IST


The websites of major government departments in Uttarakhand which were temporarily closed due to a malware attack in the ‘State Data Center’ were restored on Sunday.


Nitika Khandelwal, Director of Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA), said that major websites like ‘Apni Sarkar’, ‘E-Office’, ‘E-Ravanna portal and Chardham registration have been restored while the CM Helpline and ‘State Portal’ were restored on Saturday.

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The cyber attack took place on Wednesday, on a government holiday. Due to the shutdown of the online system, some of the work was done manually. Other works including verification of ration card holders were closed.

 


Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a high-level meeting reviewing the recent malware attack that temporarily closed down the state’s data centre.


Taking stock of the situation, he directed the officials to complete the scanning of the state’s data centre and restore all the important websites and online services by Monday.


Khandelwal said that there was no case of data loss in the cyber attack.


He said that out of about 2,034 calls in the CM Helpline in the last two days, 1,879 have been returned and more than 600 complaints have also been registered.


Malware is a type of computer virus used to steal data.


During the meeting with the chief minister, State Information Technology Secretary Nitesh Jha said that out of 1,378 machines, 11 were affected by malware. The data centre has been scanned several times in the last two days. Many websites, including e-office and CM helpline, have been restored.


Dhami said that with the help of the best agencies of the Government of India working in the field of Information Technology, the security system of the State Data Centre should be improvised.


Dhami also directed the officials to conduct a security audit of the ‘State Data Centre’ and the website.


He asked the officials to set up a Disaster Recovery Centre for the security of online forums and retrieval of online data related to various departments.


He directed the officials to review the company doing technical work in the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA) and said that if any kind of negligence is found, action should be taken against the company.


Dhami asked the ITDA to ensure that the ‘anti-virus system’ is updated in every government office so that such incidents can be avoided.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 11:04 PM IST



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Group of Chinese hackers access critical American telecom firms: Report

Group of Chinese hackers access critical American telecom firms: Report

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 8:17 PM IST


A group of Chinese hackers infiltrated multiple US telecommunications firms in search for sensitive information on issues like national security, CNN reported citing multiple sources.


The US investigators identified US broadband and internet providers AT & T, Verizon and Lumen among the targets of the recent slew of cyber-attacks launched against the US.

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Notably, as the backbone of internet and phone communications, US telecom firms hold enormous volumes of caller and user data.


The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, denied that Beijing-backed hackers had breached US telecom firms, calling that information “a distortion of the fact.” Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu accused the US of “politicizing cybersecurity issues to smear China”, CNN noted.

 


The matter has been taken up by the highest echelons of the US administration. US officials have briefed the House and Senate intelligence committees on the Chinese hacking campaign, two sources said. Cybersecurity experts from Microsoft and Google-owned firm Mandiant have been helping to investigate the hacking activity.


Seeking to sway public opinion in the face of detailed US government allegations, China has increasingly accused the US government of conducting cyberattacks against Chinese organizations.


According to the report, people probing the hacks have been struck by the hackers’ skill, persistence and ability to burrow into computer networks, the sources briefed on the matter said. The Chinese hacking team in question is known in the cybersecurity industry as Salt Typhoon.


“We track Salt Typhoon and have seen activity consistent with public news reports,” a Microsoft spokesperson told CNN. “When we see nation state activity, we provide customers with information to investigate as appropriate.”


Hacking and information operations are a regular point of contention in bilateral meetings between the US and China. Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Joe Biden that China would not interfere in the 2024 presidential election during the meeting in California last year, as reported by CNN.


The rise in such attacks comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over cyber-espionage and other high-stakes national security issues.


Previously, FBI’s Director Christopher Wray had also weighed in and said that Chinese hackers were threatening critical infrastructure in the US and overseas.


Various leading think tanks such the Center of Strategic and International Studies have time and again raised the issue of harm caused by such cyber attacks that eventually threaten the global digital public infrastructure and other key assets across various areas.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 8:17 PM IST



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L&T eyes role in NASA's successor to the International Space Station

L&T eyes role in NASA's successor to the International Space Station

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 5:31 PM IST


After powering ISRO’s space missions for more than five decades, India’s largest engineering firm Larsen and Toubro has now set its eyes on the international market, particularly the next International Space Station.


L&T was earlier in talks with Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin for supplying orbital launch capabilities and space habitat solutions but the negotiations ran into some difficulties.

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“Some remnants of that discussion continue till today but now with NASA. So, we are also hopeful that when the US requires its next space station, Indian firms will have a role to play in the supply chain,” Vikas Khita, Vice President, L&T Precision Engineering and Systems, told PTI.

 


Khita, who was speaking on the sidelines of an industry meet organised by Geospatial World, said the firm was also interested in building space ports, space parks and manufacturing clusters, areas which are expected to get a boost considering the government’s opening up of the space sector for private participation in 2020.


“In commercial terms, we are looking at a fivefold increase in turnover by 2033 of the space economy and a large part of this increase is to come from the upstream and the downstream sectors,” he said.


L&T has been involved in the production of a range of hardware for every project of ISRO, including the Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and Mars Orbiter missions.


The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-L&T consortium is also producing five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV), marking the industry’s maiden foray in building rockets for the space agency.


The engineering firm is also learnt to have evinced interest in the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), as ISRO is all set to transfer technology of the newly developed rocket to the private industry.


India is set to play a significant role in the future space economy, aiming to capture about eight per cent of the global market by 2033. The global space industry is projected to be worth around USD 1.8 trillion by 2035.


India’s space economy is also expected to grow from its current value of around USD 8.4 billion to USD 44 billion by 2033.

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 5:30 PM IST



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Dark side of tech: AI-driven cyberattacks call for better security measures

Dark side of tech: AI-driven cyberattacks call for better security measures

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


According to the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, the approximate amount that Indians lost to fraudsters between January and April 2024 stood at Rs 1,750 crore | Photo: Shutterstock

3 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 2:02 PM IST


In a world increasingly reliant on technology, cybercriminals are misusing artificial intelligence (AI) to execute sophisticated attacks, posing significant threats to individuals and organisations alike, according to an expert.


Recent high-profile data breach reports involving Star Health exemplify this alarming trend, highlighting the urgent need for upgraded cybersecurity measures.

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In a conversation with PTI, Sneha Katkar, Head of Strategy and Product Custodian for the cybersecurity firm Quick Heal’s antivirus lineup, pointed out that the landscape of cybercrime has undergone significant evolution.


“Cyber criminals today are not operating manually; they are using AI to automate attacks. They are using artificial intelligence to actually conduct these attacks. It’s so sophisticated in nature that the best of the best fall prey to it,” she noted.

 


This automation allows them to bypass traditional security measures, making it challenging for even the most robust systems to defend against such threats, she said.


Katkar said the recent breaches at Star Health are stark reminders of the vulnerabilities present in digital infrastructures.


In July 2024, an account on the dark web claimed to have accessed and stolen the data of 375 million Airtel customers and put it up for sale. However, Bharti Airtel dismissed any data breach and termed it a “desperate” attempt to tarnish the brand’s image.


In September 2024, insurer firm Star Health experienced a significant breach that exposed the sensitive health information of its clients on Telegram chatbots.


No matter what kind of security you have in place, even if it’s about a global major, Katkar said, a cybercriminal can design attacks that would penetrate through the security products that an organisation has. She further said that when such breaches occur, companies are liable to go back to their consumers and notify them that such a breach has happened.


“Essentially, what I’m trying to say is because fraudsters are getting technologically savvy, super smart, consumers also need to have technology to essentially beat this. Because awareness is always going to be one step behind,” she stressed.


While awareness is crucial, it often lags behind fraudsters’ evolving tactics. As soon as consumers become aware of one type of scam, fraudsters innovate newer methods, she elaborated.


This constant cat-and-mouse game necessitates a dual approach: leveraging technology alongside consumer education to stay ahead of cybercriminals.


According to the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, the approximate amount that Indians lost to fraudsters between January and April 2024 stood at Rs 1,750 crore.


Cybercrimes have resulted in significant financial losses for individuals and organisations, with incidents like phishing, ransomware, and online fraud becoming increasingly prevalent.


With the notably quick adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), concerns have been raised about its potential to enhance cyberattacks, including creating more convincing phishing emails, automating malicious activities, and developing new forms of malware.


Moreover, in today’s digital landscape, the threat of financial fraud is just one of many concerns; personal data and identity theft are equally pressing issues that are unfortunately on the rise.


In recent news, YouTube channels of India’s apex court, and social media content creator Ranveer Allahbadia (Beer Biceps) were hacked.


Katkar highlighted another case where a CEO fell victim to a digital arrest scam, losing 7 crores due to a well-crafted deception that included fake legal documentation.


“The complexity of these scams means that even savvy individuals can be caught off guard,” she noted.


“The interplay between technology and awareness is vital in combating these emerging frauds,” she said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 2:02 PM IST



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After iPhones, PC makers look to jump on quick commerce bandwagon

After iPhones, PC makers look to jump on quick commerce bandwagon

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


While the fast delivery trend is quickly gaining momentum, most of the current demand is for accessories and smaller PC components | Photo: Bloomberg

3 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 1:59 PM IST


Bengaluru-based Sunny Gupta had been looking to purchase a laptop for months. In August this year, while sitting at a coffee shop, he decided to order an Acer Predator laptop—typically priced between Rs 95,000 and Rs 2,50,000 online—via the quick commerce (q-com) platform Flipkart Minutes.


“It took exactly 13 minutes from payment success to receiving it at the Starbucks I ordered it to,” he wrote in a now-viral post on the social media platform X.

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Now that q-com has become a mainstay for groceries in many urban households, companies operating in this space are expanding their offerings to include more big-ticket “aspirational” products.

 


Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Big Basket are already witnessing unprecedented demand for smartphones, particularly the Apple iPhone.


As the average selling price (ASP) for products purchased through these platforms rises, and more consumers opt to buy electronics, personal computer (PC) manufacturers are looking to hop on the bandwagon.


“Laptops are the next logical step in this progression. As consumer expectations for rapid delivery continue to grow, we see quick commerce becoming a crucial avenue to meet these demands and enhance sales,” says Sooraj Balakrishnan, associate director and head of marketing, Acer India.


According to Balakrishnan, Acer—currently the fourth-largest PC maker in India—is “actively discussing with leading quick commerce platforms” to list a broader range of their products.


Currently, Flipkart is the only player selling laptops via its q-com service Minutes in Bengaluru and Delhi NCR. However, with several PC makers assessing the opportunity this new channel presents, incumbents like Blinkit and Zepto may soon start listing laptops as well.


“At this moment, it (q-com) is in its very initial stages for PC or laptop sales, but this is quickly becoming a new trend,” says Arnold Su, vice president – consumer and gaming PC, System Business Group, Asus India.


While the fast delivery trend is quickly gaining momentum, most of the current demand is for accessories and smaller PC components.


“Asus sells a lot of keyboards, mice, adaptors, and other components. For instance, we are selling around 20,000 mice a month. So, for these kinds of products, quick commerce can definitely help. For small-value items, quick commerce will become a very important business for us,” says Su.


However, analysts caution that it might be a while before PCs become mainstay quick delivery products.


“Although the potential is there, scaling up sales of hardware devices like laptops requires a lot of effort. The bigger penetration for quick commerce right now is in grocery, beauty and personal care, and mobile phone and PC accessories,” says Karan Taurani, senior vice president – research analyst, Elara Capital.


“Laptop sales via quick commerce at scale—over 10 per cent—are unlikely as of now. We will likely see sub-two or three per cent sales over the medium term,” he adds.


Regardless, as consumers become more comfortable purchasing higher-value items on these platforms, demand for PCs might soon balloon.


“We believe the potential extends beyond just smaller products. Laptops are becoming increasingly popular in the quick commerce sector as consumer expectations evolve towards quick delivery times, even for larger purchases,” says Balakrishnan.

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 1:59 PM IST



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We are now partners in biz transformation for firms: Google Cloud India MD

We are now partners in biz transformation for firms: Google Cloud India MD

by | Oct 6, 2024 | Technology


Glance will be the first app to offer this agent to its 235 million Android users across the country, equipping India’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy | Photo: Shutterstock

3 min read Last Updated : Oct 06 2024 | 11:35 AM IST


India is among the fastest-growing markets for Google in the cloud services segment, a senior executive has said, adding that the tech giant is looking to partner companies in their business transformation through its offerings.


Google Cloud India is seeing an “increased adoption” of its offerings across segments from the public sector to small and medium businesses and from startups and digital-native companies, Google Cloud India Vice President and Country Managing Director Bikram Singh Bedi told PTI.

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“If you look at cloud services as a segment, India is one of the fastest-growing countries for Google. If you look at the kind of customers that we’re working with across segments — public sector, SMB, smaller companies, medium-sized companies, large enterprises, startups, digital native companies… across the board…we’re working with multiple stakeholders who are essentially using Google Cloud services and then over a period of time, this usage has been incrementally growing,” Bedi said.

 


Cloud has moved from being one of the technologies to be used into the centre stage now.


“The early adopters will always be companies who are perhaps more agile…think of digital-native companies, startups…Just to give a little bit of perspective, 90 per cent of Gen AI unicorns now use Google Cloud. And 60 per cent of all Gen AI-funded companies use Google. And this is up from last year, so you’re seeing this increased adoption that is coming across the board in that whole digital native space,” he said.


Google Cloud recently announced a plan to bring together the power of Beckn-enabled open networks’ and Gemini (Google’s GenAI chatbot) by way of an open-source Gemini Agent Framework available to Indian businesses and users.


This framework, powered by Google’s AI model Gemini enables users to search and discover listings from electronics to seeds, from jobs to educational courses, and make transactions seamlessly across key sectors like agriculture and skilling.


Users will be able to access this extensive information from a single interface, using their voice on any network-compliant app in the language of their choice. Farmers can now have access to a wealth of knowledge from best practices to market linkages, and even formal credit, all in one place.


“Glance will be the first app to offer this agent to its 235 million Android users across the country, equipping India’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy.


“To help export the unique and transformative architecture of India’s DPI stack to enable other nations to build their digital infrastructure, Google Cloud is collaborating with the EkStep Foundation to create ‘DPI in a box’, a plug-and-play model based on open network, identity, digital credentials, and other Digital Public Goods,” Google said in a release earlier this month.


The tech titan lined up a slew of AI-powered innovations announced Indian language capabilities for Gemini Live, and unveiled new updates for Google Lens, Google Maps, Google Cloud as well as Google Pay at the tenth edition of the ‘Google for India’ event in New Delhi.


“Google Cloud is committed to partnering with Indian businesses and innovators to harness the transformative power of AI. Through initiatives like our open-source Gemini Agent Framework and collaborations on ‘DPI in a box’, we are not only advancing India’s digital landscape but also creating a blueprint for digital inclusion,” according to Bedi.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 11:35 AM IST



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