Latest news with #TriveniSingh
India Today
07-07-2025
- India Today
Bot bazaar busted: Crackdown restricts online operations of Tatkal e-ticketing racket
The online network of Tatkal ticketing agents, employing bots to grab tickets before genuine travellers, appears alarmed following India Today's exposure of their operations, tactics, and investigation into the racket found that agents were using unauthorised platforms to book Tatkal tickets in under 60 seconds. These platforms relied on bots and stolen Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts, putting user data at agents, accompanied by techies who developed the bots, and fake service providers, exploited loopholes in the IRCTC booking system and used Telegram and WhatsApp accounts for their operations. India Today identified over 40 active groups on Telegram and WhatsApp. Some dissolved after the report, while others shifted to more closed and covert channels of communication. Many also wiped their message history to erase traces of their operations.A WhatsApp group named 'Jai Shree Ram Bhai Tatkal Materials' changed its name to 'Jai Shree Ram Bhakton Ka Parivaar' in an attempt to avoid suspicion. Shortly after, the group admin informed members to join a secret backup group, admitting that their details had been exposed in news reports. Telegram and WhatsApp channels began sharing booking details using the view-once feature to avoid group with 851 members, named 'Ocean Extension', was deleted by its admin. The group not only sold Tatkal tickets to users but also offered Tatkal booking software to agents. Its website, which sold bots designed to steal data and speed up bookings — effectively overwhelming the system for genuine users — also disappeared.A WhatsApp group named 'IRCTC Tatkal Update 2.0', which had 194 members and was engaged in the same business, was also deleted. LIMITED IMPACTBut the job is far from done. While groups with traceable digital footprints were swiftly taken down, many others continue to operate with full force, using virtual private servers (VPS) to mask their IP group, with at least 900 members, continues to openly sell the 'Ezyride Tatkal Service' bot to agents. A related website, also offers VPS services and proxy IPs to mask users' identities. Notably, the site was created just three months and agents are now using international phone numbers to mask their identities.'The reality is there will be no lasting impact on the ground,' Triveni Singh, former IPS Officer, Cybercrime told India Today. 'Within minutes, new channels will be set up, new IDs will be used, and the racket will continue. This is part of a massive operation spanning every state in the country, with countless agents using cheaply available bots. At best, they may shift to private Telegram groups or the darknet — but it's not going to stop.'According to Singh, the only way to curb this is through an AI-powered platform developed by the government that would use multiple parameters like geo-fencing, where only a person with a UP Aadhaar number can book tickets for someone else within UP, and AI-based profiling to track the number of times each ID is used. 'Only then can the racket be effectively restricted,' he said.- Ends
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Time of India
3 accused of firing on BJP neta arrested after encounter in Ghazipur
Varanasi: Three people accused of opening fire on a BJP booth president and his nephew on Monday were injured and arrested after an encounter with a joint team of Saidpur and Khanpur police in Ghazipur on Wednesday early morning. The main accused and rewarded criminal, Avinash Yadav, suffered injuries in both legs. Triveni Singh and his nephew Vishwajeet alias Rajan Singh were attacked at a salon on Monday afternoon over and old enmity by the trio. Ghazipur circle officer Saidpur, Anil Kumar, said upon receiving inputs regarding the movement of the accused, the Khanpur police launched a checking drive in the Pokhara area. Upon noticing three persons riding a motorcycle, the police signalled them to stop. However, they sped away. Seeing this, Khanpur police alerted Saidpur police and started chasing the trio. Upon reaching the Budhipur area, the motorcycle-borne miscreants found themselves surrounded by the police and opened indiscriminate fire. The CO added when the police retaliated, all three suffered bullet injuries in their legs. They were rushed to a local hospital. The trio was identified as Avinash Yadav of Kudhalambi, Devendra Chauhan alias Kallu Chauhan of Khanpur and Vikas alias Kariya Yadav of Jaunpur. The police recovered three countrymade firearms, live cartridges, and a motorcycle from them. The police had also placed a cash reward of Rs 25,000 on Avinash.
Entrepreneur
12-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Are We Really Ready for Cyberwarfare?
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In 2024, India achieved Tier 1 status in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), with a score of 98.49 out of 100—placing it among the world's leading nations for cybersecurity. The index, released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), assessed countries across five pillars—legal, technical, organisational, capacity development, and international cooperation. Yet, this impressive score starkly contrasts with the realities observed on the ground, particularly in government institutions and critical infrastructure. Inside a INR 146 crore bank heist: a wake-up call Professor Triveni Singh, former Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime) and Chairperson at the Future Crime Research Foundation, recalled investigating a major cyberattack on a cooperative bank two years ago. "Cybercriminals planted a laptop within the bank's internal network, installed a remote access tool and keyloggers, and managed to capture the credentials of both the maker and checker—then transferred INR 146 crore," he said. Forensic analysis revealed that poor physical and digital controls had allowed the breach. The security operations centre (SOC), Singh recalled, was staffed by interns playing cards. "They had no access control protocols, no active surveillance, and the CCTV server had not been updated in nearly a year." Most alarmingly, when asked who the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) was, a branch manager stepped forward—unaware of what the designation meant. "In government institutions, 99 per cent of those listed as CISOs don't even know they hold the role," Singh said. Training gaps and paper compliance According to Singh, superficial training and a lack of institutional understanding are major threats. "In government departments, people attend one-day workshops labelled 'CISO training'. They come for breakfast, lunch, and leave. That's not capacity building," he said. He emphasised the urgent need for genuine investment in skills and cyber awareness. "You cannot train someone to respond to a cyber crisis with two or three days of orientation. Cybersecurity requires continuous education, not certificates for compliance." Singh also questioned the visibility and awareness of existing national cyber guidelines. "Ask any government official if they've read the RBI's cybersecurity guidelines, or the latest policy from SEBI or IRDAI. You'll find no one has. How can you ensure compliance when there is no understanding of the rules?" Data, responsibility, and the civilian risk factor Prashant Mittal, Deputy Director General at the National Informatics Centre, highlighted the massive amount of data handled by government departments, much of it migrated to the cloud. "Krishi Bhavan alone handles data equivalent to 30 per cent of the global population—due to overlaps like one individual being a beneficiary of multiple schemes," he said. With the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, now in effect, the stakes are higher. Mittal warned that penalties for breaches can reach up to INR 250 crore. "Many managed service providers (MSPs) do not have the capacity to absorb such losses. They'll soon be held accountable under revised contracts." On the civilian side, cyber-awareness remains dangerously low. Rajesh Chhabra, General Manager – India & South Asia at Acronis, urged citizens—especially students, women, and the elderly in smaller towns—to take basic precautions. "Avoid clicking on unsolicited WhatsApp or SMS links, invest in antivirus protection, and never reuse passwords across platforms," he advised. He also warned against common scams involving fake customer service numbers found on search engines. "Even SBI has begun issuing alerts about these tactics," Chhabra said. "It's often the lack of awareness that leads to financial fraud." India's top-tier GCI ranking reflects robust policy frameworks, but cyberwarfare readiness demands more than documentation. As Singh noted, "Cybersecurity cannot be achieved through certificates or slogans. Until we train the right people and build real accountability, the systems will remain vulnerable."
