PM Modi urges India to become self-reliant in his radio address

Aseem — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 11:04:57 +0000

New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi, in his Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday, reflected on self-reliance and national unity, India’s rise in animation and gaming, and a collective fight against cyber fraud.

Speaking to people across India, the prime minister focused on the contributions of Indian heroes, the blossoming digital creativity of the youth, and the importance of self-reliance and vigilance in the modern age.

“Self-reliance has become not only our policy but our passion as well. Not that long ago… just 10 years ago, if someone had said then, that some complex technology was to develop in India, many people would not believe it and many would ridicule it—but today the same people are amazed to see the success of the country,” he said during the 115th edition of the programme.

“Becoming self-reliant, India is doing wonders in every sector. Just think, India, which used to import mobile phones once upon a time, is the world’s second-largest manufacturer today. India, which once was the biggest buyer of defence equipment in the world, is now exporting to 85 countries. Today, in space technology, India has become the first country to reach the south pole of the moon,” he added.

Animation, gaming sectors

The prime minister also addressed India’s emerging role in animation and gaming, noting the global appeal of Indian-created animation characters, from Chhota Bheem to Hanuman.

He highlighted how Indian talent is making its mark internationally and contributing to iconic global projects like Spider-Man and Transformers.

“Our youth are creating content that reflects Indian culture, making India a rising powerhouse in animation,” he said.

” I would like to tell the youth of India—expand your creativity. Who knows, the world’s next super hit animation might emerge from your computer! The next viral game could be your creation! Your innovation in educational animations can achieve great success,” he added.

The prime minister also warned of cyber threats and scams like “digital arrest,” where fraudsters intimidate victims by posing as officials of law enforcement agencies.

“People have lost lakhs of rupees earned through their hard work, out of sheer fear. Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency ever inquires like this through a phone call or a video call,” he said.

Beware of cyber fraud

“I am enumerating the three steps to digital security. These three steps are—’Stop – Think – Take Action. As soon as you get a call, stop… – don’t panic, stay calm, don’t take any hasty steps, don’t give away your personal information to anyone; if possible, take a screenshot and record it for sure,” he added.

Also read: Mint Primer | PM Modi in Ukraine: Can India play a role in ending the war?

Modi also urged the public to support local businesses and strengthen the the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign.

“In this festival season, we strengthen this campaign of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. We do our shopping with the mantra of ‘vocal for local’. This is the new India where the impossible is just a challenge… where ‘make in India’ has now turned into ‘make for the world’, where every citizen is an innovator, where every challenge is an opportunity,” he said.

“We not only have to make India self-reliant, but also strengthen our country as a global powerhouse of innovation,” he added.

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Lounge Pass App Scam Targeting Indian Travellers Uncovered; Reportedly Swindled Rs. 9 Lakhs in One Month

Ashish Singh — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:06:41 +0000

Lounge Pass app scam, a new online scam that involves the eponymous malicious app, has recently been uncovered. The incident came to surface after an alleged victim of the scam took to social media to share their experience and how they were scammed of a hefty amount. Cybersecurity researchers have now confirmed the existence of the scam which is being conducted via an app dubbed Lounge Pass, and explained how the bad actors were able to steal money from people.

The Victim’s Story

In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), a user posted a video of a woman who was allegedly a victim of the scam. The post has now gone viral with more than 5,000 likes and 2,100 reposts. The woman claimed that the incident occurred inside the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on September 29. She claimed to have left her credit card at home and carried a picture of it instead. Wanting to access the lounge area, she claimed to have shown the image of the credit card to the people in the lounge. However, the attendants allegedly asked her to download the Lounge Pass app.

The victim also shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp chat where the alleged scammers sent her a URL to download the app. They also allegedly told her to share her screen and to do a face screen (face scan) for “security purposes”. After that, she was allowed to use the lounge. She also claimed that for the next few weeks, people told her that they were not able to reach her over call and that sometimes a “male” voice would answer when called.

She allegedly found out about the scam after her credit card bill came in, and she noticed a transaction of Rs. 87,125 to a PhonePe account. While the victim is not sure, she claimed that the malicious app might have been the reason behind the scam.

In a screenshot, she also showed that without her knowing, her phone’s settings were changed to turn on call forwarding. She has allegedly reported this incident to the cybercrime cell. Gadgets 360 was not able to verify any of the claims.

Researchers’ Investigation on the Lounge Pass App Scam

Cybersecurity firm CloudSEK’s Threat Research Team was able to confirm the existence of the scam through their open source intelligence (ONST) investigation. The researchers were able to uncover multiple domains which were being used to distribute the Lounge Pass app.

Based on the investigation, the scam was carried out by a sophisticated SMS stealer app that can take control of the device once installed. The scammers likely steal sensitive information from the device using the app, and take control of SMS and calls. Once done, they transfer money to the desired bank account and intercept the OTP whether it is sent via text message or call.

The researchers were able to reverse-engineer the APK of the app and found that the scammers accidentally left their Firebase endpoint exposed. This endpoint was being used to store the intercepted SMS from victims. Based on the analysis of the data, the researchers found that between July and August 2024, approximately 450 people installed the app. Further, scammers also managed to swindle more than Rs. 9 lakhs from victims during this period.

CloudSEK researchers also highlighted that this may not be the full picture as only one endpoint was analysed by the firm.

What Can People Do to Protect Themselves?

Since the app is not available on the Play Store or the App Store, there is little that can be done to take down the app. The researchers have shared a series of recommendations that people can follow to protect themselves from such scams.

First, people are advised to not download lounge access apps from any untrusted sources. Only the official app marketplaces should be trusted for this. Further, before installing, users should verify the app publisher’s name.

Travellers should also avoid scanning any random QR codes at airports. Further, whenever downloading an app, users should be careful about the permissions that they give an app. If not absolutely necessary, no app should have access to SMS or calling features. Finally, any banking or UPI apps installed on a device should contain two-factor authentication (2FA) for an added layer of security.