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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


cyber crime

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


laptops, laptop imports

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


Google Cloud

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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Scammers creating 1,000 phishing domains a day, celebs deepfake videos

Scammers creating 1,000 phishing domains a day, celebs deepfake videos

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 11:08 PM IST


Scammers are registering over 1,000 phishing domains every day and creating deepfake videos of prominent Indian personalities such as Mukesh Ambani, Virat Kohli, etc to promote dubious gamings apps, cyber security firm CloudSEK said on Friday.


The deepfake videos use manipulated footage of famous news anchors to create fake news videos of prominent personalities to endorse dubious apps, the CloudSEK report said.

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“Scammers are not only using deepfake videos to lure people to download the dubious app but have also created a fake Play Store to appear genuine. Research shows over 1000 phishing domains are being created every day to cheat netizens of over seven countries,” the report said.

 


The cyber security firm said that by leveraging its deepfake detection technology research team has identified a series of deceptive campaigns targeting users in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and beyond for promoting a fake gaming app.


“Prominent figures such as Mukesh Ambani, Virat Kohli, Anant Ambani, Neeraj Chopra, and international icons like Christiano Ronaldo, James Donaldson (Mr. Beast), Deadpool aka Ryan Reynolds, and Pakistani actress Hania Aamir are shown promoting the app,” the report said.


The videos lure users by promising substantial financial rewards through minimal investments, claiming users can multiply their money simply by playing the game.


“Virat Kohli has been one of the most frequently targeted figures for similar deepfakes in South Asia. The videos often start with manipulated footage of respected news anchors, including Shweta Singh (Aaj Tak), Arnab Goswami (Republic TV), and Sudhir Chaudhary. These fake broadcasts claim that the mobile application has been helping people from all walks of life earn money easily,” the report said.


According to the report, scamsters initially targeted the European Union population in early September 2024 and later expanded to India and various other regions, including Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Southeast Asia.


CloudSEK also announced that it has made its deep fake detection technology free for everyone that will help them in identifying deepfake videos.

(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 04 2024 | 11:08 PM IST



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Meta unveils AI tool that can generate, edit videos based on text prompts

Meta unveils AI tool that can generate, edit videos based on text prompts

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 8:51 PM IST


By Kurt Wagner




Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. debuted a new artificial intelligence tool that can generate or edit videos based on a simple text prompt, elevating competition with rivals like OpenAI and Google in the race to develop the world’s most advanced AI technology.

 

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Meta’s product, Movie Gen, can create a new video up to 16 seconds long based on a text prompt. It can also use such prompts to generate audio for or edit an existing video, or even use a photo to create a customized video featuring a real person.

 

 


Movie Gen is only available for some internal employees and a handful of outside partners, including some filmmakers, though the social media company — which also owns Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger — plans to build the product into its existing apps sometime next year.

 


Executives are still discussing how best to implement this integration, but the aim is for Movie Gen to encourage more people to create or edit video posts, said Connor Hayes, a Meta vice president focused on generative AI products. It will be “fun to use, helpful for creators, good for overall engagement in the apps, but we don’t have a concrete product plan of what it will look like at this point,” he said. 

 


The social networking leader is one of many major tech companies pushing into AI models focused on generating videos, which are more complicated and expensive to build than those that return AI-generated text. Microsoft Corp.-backed OpenAI has its own video generation tool, called Sora, that debuted earlier this year and can create videos up to a minute in length, though that technology isn’t available to the public yet. DeepMind, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, also has a video generation tool, called Veo, which was unveiled earlier this year. 

 


Meta is waiting to roll out Movie Gen for several reasons, including the technology’s efficiency. It currently takes “tens of minutes” to generate a video based on a text prompt — too long for general consumers, who are likely to use this on their phone, Hayes said. 

 


But Meta is also “sorting out a bunch of really important problems around safety and responsibility,” Hayes said, including how to handle personalized videos so that a user can’t create an inappropriate or unflattering video featuring another person without their consent. “That’s going to be probably the most important problem to solve before we would make the personalization capability available to folks broadly.”This type of technology has been used in the past to create misleading so-called deepfakes of famous people, including US President Joe Biden and pop star Taylor Swift, though Meta executives have said they’re working on ways to “watermark” these creations so that people can tell they’re AI-generated.

 


Meta has made AI advancements a key priority for the entire company, and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly talked about AI as a driver of user and revenue growth. In the short term, Zuckerberg has credited AI for helping improve the company’s content algorithms by showing people more relevant posts and advertisements. Eventually, Zuckerberg has said he believes AI will play an even larger role in powering its apps and other futuristic wearables Meta is producing, like smart glasses.

 


©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

First Published: Oct 04 2024 | 8:51 PM IST



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Tech wrap Oct 4: India-made iPhone 16 Pros, Lava Agni 3, WhatsApp, and more

Tech wrap Oct 4: India-made iPhone 16 Pros, Lava Agni 3, WhatsApp, and more

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Technology


6 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 8:03 PM IST


Apple has confirmed that it is now manufacturing the entire iPhone 16 lineup, including the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, in India as of October 4. The company also announced plans to enhance its retail presence by opening four new stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai. This expansion follows the opening of stores in Saket, Delhi, and BKC, Mumbai, in April 2023. However, Apple has not specified a timeline for the launch of these new stores.

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Lava has launched the Agni 3 smartphone, which features a dual-display design and a customizable Action Key reminiscent of the iPhone. This key can be programmed by users to carry out various tasks. Another highlight is the secondary 1.74-inch AMOLED display on the back, which allows users to view quick notifications, preview images from the main camera, and more.


WhatsApp is rolling out several new features, including the ability to like status updates, make private mentions, and reshare statuses. Users can now tag other WhatsApp accounts in their status updates, enabling those mentioned to repost the status on their own accounts. Each status can include mentions of up to five individuals, and users can privately tag someone without revealing their names. Notifications will be sent to those who are mentioned.


Apple has released its first update for iOS 18, known as iOS 18.0.1. While it does not include the anticipated artificial intelligence features, this update focuses on performance enhancements and addresses several issues, including a problem with the iPhone 16 series experiencing an unresponsive touchscreen in certain situations. Additionally, Apple has resolved security concerns related to the microphone and the new Passwords app.


Samsung India has introduced festive offers for its sixth-generation Galaxy Z series, which includes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. The promotions feature bank cashback, upgrade bonuses on exchange deals, and up to 24 months of no-cost EMI options. Additionally, the Galaxy Z Assurance plan is available at a discounted price of Rs 999 as part of these festive offers. Customers can take advantage of these deals both online and in retail stores.


OpenAI has unveiled a new workspace interface called Canvas for its ChatGPT AI chatbot. This interface appears in a separate section next to the main conversation, enabling users to highlight specific sections or request ChatGPT to focus on particular tasks while assisting with writing or coding.


Samsung Galaxy smartphone users may have to wait longer for the Android 15 update. During its Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2024, the South Korean tech giant announced that the Android 15-based One UI 7 interface will not be publicly released until 2025.


Sony is reportedly introducing support for Google’s Find My Device network for its headphones and earbuds. This upcoming software update will simplify locating the WF-1000XM5 earbuds and WH-1000XM5 headphones.


Google is launching product advertisements within its AI Overviews. When users perform a search, the AI summaries will now display the answer alongside relevant products available for purchase. These advertised products will appear under a “sponsored” header. According to Google spokesperson Craig Ewer, ads will only be shown if the search query has a “commercial angle.”


Apple’s upcoming iPhone SE may be the first model to incorporate the company’s own 5G modem, potentially replacing Qualcomm’s modem for connectivity, according to a report by 9to5Mac. The report also outlines other specifications for the next iPhone SE, including details about the camera and display.


With an expanding library of exclusive titles and long-awaited support for retro gaming emulators, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has something to offer every gamer.


The iPhone 16 continues Apple’s tradition of iterative improvements, with AI enhancements still on the horizon that may unlock its full potential once available.


Google’s India Managing Director, Roma Datta Chobey, has highlighted that hardware is a significant focus for the company in India as it celebrates 20 years of its presence in the country.


Apple announced on Friday that it will open four new stores in India, located in Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai. Additionally, the company is set to launch its first-ever “made in India” iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max series devices later this month.


On Friday, Google announced that it would cease linking to news articles from New Zealand and terminate its agreements with local news organisations if the government moves forward with a law requiring tech companies to pay a fair price for content featured on their platforms.

On Friday, Google announced that it would stop linking to news content from New Zealand and withdraw its support for local media outlets if the government enacts a law mandating that tech companies pay for articles displayed on their platforms.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE goes on sale with introductory offers


The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE smartphone is now available for purchase in India. This fan edition smartphone, powered by the Samsung Exynos 2400e chip, boasts a full suite of Samsung Galaxy AI experience. The 2024 model features a design inspired by its flagship counterpart, and boasts several enhancements, including a larger display and a high-capacity battery.

First Published: Oct 04 2024 | 8:03 PM IST



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