Cyber Attacks Post India-Pak War Tensions
As tension rises between India and Pakistan, attackers have found a new way to infiltrate India through Cyber Scams. Different war-related updates are being shared in files containing a virus.
Tension between India and Pakistan has escalated, and attackers are now trying to infiltrate a virus through cyber attacks, leading to a total disruption in India. The Hyderabad police have shared some precautionary measures for the people to stay safe from these virus-laden messages. Attackers are sending some Phishing emails and APK files, which, if downloaded, will disrupt the phone and may lead to the loss of sensitive information.
The cyber crime police of Hyderabad has claimed that the attackers are trying to target the top officials, including the Government staff, such as Military personnel and defence officers. That way, the attackers can gain access to crucial information, which might be used against the war.
According to the police, the attackers are sharing files through various channels, but most commonly through text messages and WhatsApp messages in the form of videos, of news. However, the files contain an “exe” extension, which, once saved, can be used to detect and extract information from the device. These files may be tagged as “Breaking news” or “war updates,” and will rather contain a virus that will compromise your device's security.
It is designed with malware that can not just steal personal information but can also hack bank and other accounts. While many people have complained that these types of messages are not being received on WhatsApp, but also on Telegram and mail.
“Army_Job_Application_Form.pdf”, “tasksche.exe,” and “live war updates” are some of the files that are being shared across social media channels. Though the targeted prey are the government officials, general civilians are also being impacted as they are being duped of money from their bank account without citizens being an active participant. The police are constantly warning the citizens not to fall for any such trap. Many times, the links and such messages are shared by the trusted ones. Hence, this can further turn into a serious issue.
Some precautions should be followed by the users of WhatsApp and other social media accounts to enable two-step verification so that unauthorised messages and files can be checked thoroughly. Also, the users must switch off Auto-download so that the media and files do not get downloaded on their own.
In case the users see some form of discrepancy, they can register a complaint at the Cybersecurity website, which can be accessed online. For people who use emails quite frequently, it is advised not to click on any suspicious links or download any attachments. The police are also alerting the citizens to keep their eyes on a reputable news source.
