Tag: Pegasus

BJP, Congress spar over Rahul Gandhi’s Pegasus remarks at Cambridge

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP government during his recent lecture at Cambridge University. The video of the lecture was shared on Twitter. Gandhi alleged that the Indian democracy was under attack and the Israeli spyware Pegasus was used to snoop on him and several other leaders.

The BJP sharply countered Gandhi’s remarks and said Congress was unable to accept election defeats and was maligning India’s image on foreign soil.

Indian democracy is a public good. At least 50% of the people who live in a democratic space live in India. Therefore, preserving the Indian democracy means defending the democratic structure on the planet.
:Sh. @RahulGandhi at Cambridge

Full video here: https://t.co/kcK9KQyDkC pic.twitter.com/D3EO9NuZIq

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 3, 2023

Speaking on ‘Learning to Listen in the 21st Century at Cambridge University,’ on Tuesday, Gandhi who is a visiting fellow of the Cambridge Judge Business School, said, “Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy… Parliament, the free press, the judiciary, and just the idea of mobilisation are all getting constrained. We are facing an attack on the basic structure of democracy.”

ALSO READ | New-look Rahul Gandhi makes fans go ‘crazyyy’ — check the latest hair and beard

He also alleged that the parliament, judiciary, media, and the idea of mobilisation are all getting constrained.

Gandhi mentioned that the Constitution described India as a Union of States and the Union required negotiation and conversation which he alleged was under attack by the ruling government. He also said that he had Pegasus on his phone and he along with leaders was under the constant pressure of surveillance.

“A large number of political leaders have Pegasus on their phones. I myself had Pegasus on my phone. I’ve been called by intelligence officers who said ‘please be careful of what you say on the phone as we are recording the stuff.’ So, this is the constant pressure that we feel,” Gandhi said.

He also shared a picture of himself being held by the police and claimed that the Opposition leaders were “locked up for just standing” in front of the Parliament House to talk.

Here’s how the BJP reacted

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur accused him of maligning India on foreign soil after facing successive electoral setbacks.

ALSO READ | Delhi excise policy case: Court lists Manish Sisodia’s bail plea on March 10

“Pegasus is not in Rahul Gandhi’s phone but in his mind,” he said in a video shared on Twitter.

पेगासस फ़ोन में नहीं राहुल गांधी के दिमाग़ में है।

बार-बार झूठ बोलकर विदेशी मंचों का इस्तेमाल कर भारत को बदनाम करना राहुल गांधी की आदत बन चुकी है।

आख़िर राहुल जी की ऐसी क्या मजबूरी थी, उनके फ़ोन में ऐसा क्या था कि पेगसास इश्यू पर उन्होंने अपना फ़ोन जमा नहीं करवाया? pic.twitter.com/hObTf9xoWw

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) March 3, 2023

He also questioned why Gandhi and other Congress leaders did not submit their phones before the Supreme Court-appointed committee which probed the Pegasus case.

BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill, a former Congress leader, also countered Gandhi’s remarks and said it was just a case of a bad workman blaming his tools.

ALSO READ | Bengal Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi arrested for comments against Mamata Banerjee

“Instead of introspecting on the loss of 172 seats out of 180 in N East polls, loss of 50+ elections out of 54 under his command, Rahul Gandhi is busy crying wolf on foreign shores! RG Cambridge’s speech is Classic Case of ‘Naach Na Jaane, Aangan Tedaa’ or ‘Bad Workman blames his tools’,” Shergill wrote on Twitter.

Instead of introspecting on loss of 172 seats out of 180 in N.East polls,loss of 50+ elections out of 54 under his command,Rahul Gandhi is busy crying wolf on foreign shores!

RG Cambridge speech is Classic Case of “Naach Na Jaane,Aangan Tedaa” or “Bad Workman blames his tools”

— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) March 3, 2023

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also struck back at Gandhi and said his speech was a brazen attempt to malign the country’s image.

Sarma put out a series of tweets, with statements made by Rahul Gandhi and claimed they were not based on facts.

First foreign agents target us!
Then our own targets us on a foreign land!

Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Cambridge was nothing but a brazen attempt to denigrate our country on foreign soil in the guise of targeting Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji.

Thread

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 3, 2023

Another BJP spokesperson said that Gandhi was “hallucinating”.

“What we can say for Rahul Gandhi’s hallucinations. If he makes his (Congress) MoU with China public, we will be interested and people of India will also like to know. Who is interested in his telephonic conversations,” BJP spokesperson Tom Vadakkan told reporters, as per NDTV.

Meanwhile, the Congress cited instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi going abroad and allegedly raising internal politics to hit back at the BJP’s criticism.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the kind of statements that were made by PM Modi in places like Shanghai, Toronto, California, Seoul and Abu Dhabi on internal politics and against the Opposition party were appalling.

श्री अनुराग ‘गोली मारो’ ठाकुर,

बिन माँगी सलाह है – राहुल गांधी जी के कैम्ब्रिज का पूरा लेक्चर सुनिए

थोड़े आपके ज्ञान चक्षु खुलेंगे – कुछ बच्चों को सिखाने लायक़ बनियेगा

कब तक मंच से नफ़रती भाषण के भरोसे घिनौनी राजनीति करते रहिएगा? @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/8E56cgaA9c

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) March 3, 2023

She also urged the critics to listen to Gandhi’s full lecture to understand what was said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Expert highlights importance of digital hygiene in an increasingly risk-prone online world

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

If the coronavirus showed us one thing, it was the importance of hand hygiene. Another thing that became apparent, if not immediately, then a few weeks into the lockdown, was just how much we would come to rely on the internet — for entertainment, to pay bills, to transfer money online etc.

And then there was the flip side — as the digital ecosystem evolved, so did digital frauds. According to the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau, India reported 52,974 cases of cybercrime in 2021, an increase of over 5 percent from the previous year, 2020 (50,035 cases), and a jump of over 15 percent from 2019 (44,735 cases).

The onset of the pandemic and the forced switch to digitisation brought about by the subsequent nationwide lockdown made for happy hunting grounds for cybercrooks.

In such a situation, the role of the government in spreading awareness among the citizens to take steps and insulate themselves and their data online, and the host of companies that offer cybersecurity solutions, become crucial for enterprises and individuals alike.

Also read: Employee-level awareness key for companies to protect against cyberattacks, says expert

One such company is eSec Forte – which has been empanelled by national cybersecurity watchdog Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) as an information security auditor. eSec Forte is a “Global Consulting and IT Security Services company with offerings across Cloud Security, Cyber Forensics, Malware Detection, Security Audit, Red Team Assessment, Threat Hunting, Security Operations Control, Penetration Testing, Secure Access Management, Risk Assessment, IOT Security etc.”, as per its website.

As such, it is positioned to offer insights on several cybersecurity incidents that have surfaced in or impacted India in recent years.

Kunal Bajaj, the company’s Chief Business Officer, touched upon issues like the Pegasus spyware, enterprise-level cybersecurity, ransomware attacks, online transactional fraud, data theft, and information security in an increasingly digital world.

Pegasus

The surfacing of Israeli malware/spyware Pegasus and subsequent revelations that several high-profile Indians were monitored using the software has made it a politically charged issue in India.

Bajaj highlights the loopholes in privacy laws in India. “The country has to thoroughly revisit these legislations in order to make sure that both matters of national security and the privacy of citizens can be balanced in a desirable manner,” he says.

Meanwhile, at an enterprise level, several high-profile companies, such as Microsoft, Samsung, Uber, Rockstar Games, and NVIDIA, were affected by data breaches this year, begging the question, if technology companies aren’t safe from hackers, then who is? How can they protect themselves?

Also read: If security is ‘slack’ — what happened at Rockstar Games could happen to your company too

“Increasing awareness of consumers about their information (shared with companies), coupled with intensifying threat of data breaches, has re-emphasised the need for strict cybersecurity controls and preventive measures,” says Bajaj.

“Companies world over are employing top-of-the-line measures to safeguard their global Infrastructure and data points from hackers and anomalies,” he adds.

Companies are also encouraging their employees to be cautious of potential threats which may target the end points by deploying effective:

• End Point Security
• Mobile Security Controls
• User Behaviour Analysis
• Deep Packet Inspection
• Identity and Access Management
• Log Monitoring

“Besides all these efforts, companies are fully integrating flexible technologies and modular approaches so as to make a quick shift to a more advanced form of cybersecurity solutions,” he explains.

Ransomware

Another cyber menace that rears its ugly head from time to time is ransomware. Simply put, a ransomware attack is an incident in which a bad actor had stopped you from gaining access to sensitive data, and holds that data to ransom — “pay me, or lose this data forever”.

Just this year, the USA accounted for 60 percent of worldwide ransomware attacks, followed by Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific — which includes India.

“There are many reasons behind the increasing number of ransomware attacks, with the biggest ones including the growing trend of remote working, unawareness about cybersecurity laws, lack of training, and unsecured data systems and networks among others,” explains Bajaj.

By simultaneously working on all these fronts, organisations can dramatically reduce the instances of ransomware attacks and save themselves a lot of resources that would have otherwise required to be paid to hackers as ransom money, he says.

“Experts in the cybersecurity domain also point out the need of raising awareness among users about various steps that can be taken to safeguard their systems against ransomware attacks,” he adds.

This can be done by first understanding the different ways in which a ransomware attack is deployed.

Transactional fraud

Simply put, a transactional fraud is basically a cybersecurity violation involving a digital payment. In a survey conducted by MasterCard, 90 percent of the consumers expressed their willingness to adopt new-age digital technologies to make payments safe. 

The survey also expressed a growing need for stringent cybersecurity laws as there is a staggering 49 percent jump in the cybersecurity violations that consumers have witnessed in 2021. 

“Banks, Financial Institutions, and other companies involved in the e-commerce space are also becoming aware of the increasing threat of cybersecurity violations, which explains the new methods of verification that have been now employed by various merchants across businesses and industries,” Bajaj says. “One of the novel practices that may potentially increase is use of password-less technologies, which is really becoming instrumental in reducing digital frauds and becoming the favourite for innovating more such methods to arrest the growth of transaction frauds.”

Also read; Data is the new oil — how companies can shield themselves from cyber attacks

Information security

Information security is a set of processes and tools that are deployed in order to protect sensitive information of businesses and users from data hackers and scammers. “It is important to know that information security is part of the cybersecurity framework and should not be used as a replacement for the wider and holistic term of cybersecurity,” Bajaj says.

Some of the prominent types of information security include application security,  cryptography, vulnerability management, cloud security, and infrastructure security among others. 

“The ability of information security to provide a swift response to cybersecurity attacks is one of the key distinguishing factors that set an excellent security system apart from ordinary ones. Today information security plays a crucial role in safeguarding the data and offering robust protection against the rising threats of data hacking and stealing of sensitive information,” Bajaj adds.

Governments and regulators are also making their contribution in spreading awareness about information security and various laws associated with data breaches and hacking, he says.

“In the future the role of information security will become even more crucial and organisations with robust policies on cybersecurity will be preferred by customers over their competitors,” he adds.

Also read: Microsoft Teams deemed unsafe to use by security researchers: Here is why

Emerging technologies

Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and blockchain technology have come to play a major role in cybersecurity. 

“The use of AI is on the rise and its utility against cyber frauds is particularly relevant for keeping and preserving the data from the reach of hackers. ML is proving very useful in identifying the new patterns of cyberattacks and then training the machine to block any kind of suspicious activity,” he explains.

“In addition to these new-age technologies, the distributed network of cloud computing, blockchain technology, and authentication through hardware are finding favour with cybersecurity experts,” Bajaj adds. 

The challenges ahead

According to Bajaj, overcoming all these challenges is not an easy task especially when it comes to the requirement of financial resources and spreading awareness among the masses. “Convincing policymakers and statutory organisations to allocate money for spreading awareness related to cybersecurity is a tough nut to crack,” he says.

In a nutshell, cybersecurity requires a holistic and all-encompassing policy framework  that will take into consideration the interest of each and every stakeholder while planning, designing, and implementing policies related to information security.

Also read: View | Superheroes or supervillains: Rise of vigilantism in increasingly digital world

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Summon against PM Modi, Jagan Mohan Reddy and Gautam Adani by US District Court

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

An Indian-American doctor has filed a lawsuit here against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and business tycoon Gautam Adani on a host of issues, including corruption and Pegasus spyware.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia has issued summons to all these leaders, along with several others, which were served on them in India earlier this year. Eminent Indian-American attorney from New York Ravi Batra has termed it a “dead on arrival lawsuit”.

The lawsuit against Modi, Reddy and Adani has been filed by Richmond-based gastroenterologist Dr Lokesh Vuyurru. Among others named in the lawsuit is Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and chairman of the World Economic forum.

Without any documentary evidence, the Indian-American physician, who comes from Andhra Pradesh, alleged that Modi, Reddy and Adani, along with others, are engaged in corruption, including massive cash transfers to the US and use of Pegasus spyware against political opponents.

Also Read: India joins Russia’s Vostok 2022 along with China, US concerned over drill

The lawsuit was filed on May 24, following which the court issued the summons on July 22. The summons were served on them in India on August 4 and to Schwab in Switzerland on August 2.

Dr Vuyyuru submitted the evidence of submission of the summons before the court on August 19. Asked about the lawsuit, Batra said Vuyyuru had too much free time on his hands.

“Lokesh Vuyyuru has too much free time on his hands, seeing his improper use of our federal courts by filing his 53-page complaint to defame and disparage an American ally, India, and despite the presumption against extra-territoriality and foreign sovereign immunity act – something we helped flush out by repeatedly winning dismissal of SFJ v INC and SFJ v Sonia Gandhi – he slashes and burns indiscriminately as if there was no Rule 11 to teach him respect for Article III courts,” he said.

“That no lawyer agreed to sign this toilet paper ‘complaint’ speaks volumes, for this is a dead on arrival lawsuit,” Batra added. “He has a birds-eye complaint about corruption as he sees it and he doesn’t specify RICO and Fraud require.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana retires tomorrow; a look at some of his notable judgements

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

As Chief Justice of India NV Ramana retires tomorrow, the Supreme Court heard a number of important matters on Thursday, including pleas challenging the recent release of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and the Pegasus spyware matter. Another petition related to the security lapses in Punjab during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in January this year is also listed for hearing.

In the Pegasus case, the SC-appointed technical committee found malware in only 5 of the 29 phones examined, the bench headed by CJI Ramana said on Thursday. He also observed that the government had not cooperated with the committee and had adopted the same stand in the panel’s proceedings that it had taken before the SC.

In the Bilkis Bano case, the Supreme Court asked the Gujarat government to respond to the plea challenging the release of the 11 convicts. The bench headed by CJI Ramana asked the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter. The bench will hear the case after two weeks.

ALSO READ:  Chief Justice NV Ramana recommends UU Lalit as his successor

Justice Ramana succeeded Justice SA Bobde as the 48th Chief Justice of India on April 24, 2021. Born in an agrarian family on August 27, 1957, in Andhra Pradesh, Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana enrolled as an advocate on February 10, 1983. He became a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on June 27, 2000. Justice Ramana served as the acting Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court between March 10 and May 20, 2013. The same year, he was elevated as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and in 2014 he became a judge at the Supreme Court.

After serving an eight-year term in the Supreme Court, CJI Ramana is set to retire on August 26. During his tenure at the top court, he has been part of 657 benches and authored 174 judgements.

Here’s a look at some of the notable judgements CJI Ramana has been part of.

In January 2021, then Justice Ramana and Justice Surya Kant ruled that the value of a woman’s work at home was nothing less than that of her husband working in an office. The idea had earlier been espoused by the Supreme Court in the Lata Wadhwa case in 2001.

ALSO READ:  ‘A serious economic issue’ — SC suggests forming apex body to control freebies during elections

In the 2020 Md. Anwar Vs. State of NCT of Delhi case, a three-judge bench with Justice Ramana ruled that to successfully claim defence of mental unsoundness in court, the accused would have to show that they suffered from a serious mental disease or infirmity that affected his/ her ability to distinguish right from wrong.

“Mere production of photocopy of an OPD card and statement of mother on affidavit have little, if any, evidentiary value,” the bench had held.

In the case between Central Public Information Officer and Subhash Chandra Agarwal in 2019, a five-judge constitution bench, including Justice Ramana, held that the office of the Chief Justice of India falls under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005 as it was a public authority as defined in the Act. The judgment made information on SC Judges and their assets publicly available.

In the Anuradha Bhasin Vs Union of India case in 2019 related to the Internet shutdown in Kashmir that year, a three-judge bench said the Internet could not be suspended for an indefinite period and that the right to trade over the Internet was a fundamental right.

ALSO READ: Who is Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and what have been his top cases

In the Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix Vs deputy speaker case of 2016, a five-judge constitutional bench comprising Justices NV Ramana, Jagdish Singh Khehar, Madan B. Lokur, Dipak Misra and Pinaki Chandra Ghose held that the powers of the governor were not absolute. The bench said the speaker could not disqualify a member of the Assembly when a motion of removal is pending against him.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SC-appointed panel finds 5 phones infected with malware, says Centre didn’t cooperate

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed disappointment with the Centre for not clarifying if the spyware, Pegasus, was used or deployed by the government. The apex court said it needed to examine the report to decide the future course of action.

The top court opened the report submitted by a court-appointed panel. The court observed that the Technical Committee had held in its report that the Centre did not cooperate. The committee added that the Centre took the same stand as it did before the top court.

As per the Technical Committee’s report, five devices out of 29 phones that were investigated were infected with malware. The report held that the infected devices cannot be said to be a case of Pegasus but can result from poor cyber hygiene.

In 2021, the court set up a three-member technical panel headed by Justice Raveendran to probe allegations of the use of Pegasus.

Justice Raveendran’s report recommended amending existing laws on surveillance, ensuring the protection of the citizen’s right to privacy, establishing a mechanism for citizens to raise grievances against surveillance, and enhancing the nation’s cyber security.

The pleas are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO’s spyware Pegasus. An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

BJP attacks Congress

Meanwhile, the BJP took the panel’s inconclusive findings as a sign of victory and launched a volley of attacks on the opposition. The BJP claimed the opposition’s attack on the government over the Pegasus issue was all part of a “motivated campaign” aimed at weakening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wondered if Rahul Gandhi and the Congress will apologise.

“Opposition parties, so called intellectuals, some NGOs and a section of media ran a sustained campaign against the government,” Prasad told a press conference. He also alleged that the Congress has so much animus against Modi and his government that it resorts to falsehoods.

“Will Rahul Gandhi and the Congress apologise,” he asked, noting that the opposition leader had levelled charges like treason against the prime minister for alleged surveillance of his colleagues and opposition leaders using Pegasus.

The prime minister was accused of crushing democracy and parliamentary proceedings were disrupted over the issue, he said, accusing the opposition parties of taking cover of PILs to move court after running “motivated” campaigns.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SC to hear batch of pleas on Pegasus spying allegations on Feb 23

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a batch of petitions on the Pegasus issue for the first time after October 27 last year when it had ordered setting up of a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe allegations that the Israeli spyware was used for surveillance of certain people in India.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli has listed as many as 12 PILs, including the ones filed by Editors Guild of India and veteran journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar, for hearing on February 23 and is likely to peruse and analyse the report which was to be filed by the apex court-appointed panel.

The panel, which included three experts on cyber security, digital forensics, networks and hardware, was asked to enquire, investigate and determine whether Pegasus spyware was used for snooping on citizens and their probe is being monitored by former apex court judge R V Raveendran. The panel members were Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P and Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

On February 21, some reports said the SC appointed committee on Pegasus headed by Justice (retd) Raveendran submitted an interim report in the SC.

Justice Raveendran, who is heading the monitoring panel, has been assisted by former IPS officer Alok Joshi and Sundeep Oberoi, Chairman of Sub Committee in International Organisation of Standardisation/ International Electro-Technical Commission/Joint Technical Committee in monitoring the inquiry of the technical panel. The committee is requested to prepare the report after a thorough inquiry and place it expeditiously before the court, the bench had said.

In recent times, reports emerged that the probe panel has been facing difficulties as very few people were coming forward to depose before it or submit their devices for technical scrutiny.

In one of the significant verdicts in recent times over the issue of citizens’ right to privacy, a bench headed by the CJI had on October 27 last year ordered setting up of the panel saying mere invocation of national security by the state cannot render the judiciary a “mute spectator” and had asserted that indiscriminate spying on individuals in a democratic country cannot be allowed.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Pegasus and a missile system were centerpieces of $2-bn deal between India and Israel in 2017: NYT

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the centerpieces of a roughly $2-billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017, according to a report in The New York Times.

A massive controversy erupted last year when the NSO Group hit the headlines with the alleged use of its Pegasus software by some governments to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a number of countries, including India, triggered concerns over issues relating to privacy.

The NYT, in a report titled ‘The Battle for the World’s Most Powerful Cyberweapon’, said that the Israeli firm NSO Group had for nearly a decade been selling its surveillance software on a subscription basis to law-enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world, promising that it could do what no one else — not a private company, not even a state intelligence service — could do: consistently and reliably crack the encrypted communications of any iPhone or Android smartphone. The report also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017 — to become the first Indian prime minister to visit the country.

For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called commitment to the Palestinian cause, and relations with Israel were frosty. The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and (then Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach, it said. They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly $2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces. Months later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the UN’s Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation, a first for the nation, the report said.

Read Also | How does the Pegasus spyware work, and is my phone at risk?

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

News Wrap Dec 17: CCI suspends nod for Amazon-Future deal; Shankar Sharma on market correction in 2022; Dr VK Paul on booster shots and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has suspended the approval for the Amazon-Future deal and also imposed a Rs 202 crore penalty on Amazon. State Bank of India has increased the base rate and prime lending rate by 10 basis points each. On a day when markets witnessed a sharp sell-off amid negative global trend, market veteran Shankar Sharma is of the view there can be a further 10 percent in 2022. Meanwhile, India’s Omicron tally has surged to 101 and several experts have called for a booster dose policy. Here are some top news of the day

ECONOMY/BUSINESS

Amazon internal e-mails show company lied, suppressed facts on Future deal: CCI

While suspending its approval for the Amazon-Future deal, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) noted that Amazon suppressed facts, made false statements and misled the regulator, as could be seen from the company’s internal e-mails. Read more

State Bank of India hikes base rate, prime lending rate

State Bank of India, the country’s largest bank, has increased the base rate and prime lending rate by 10 basis points each, marking the beginning of the end of the low-interest rate regime. Check details

Bharti Airtel prepays Rs 15,519 crore in liability for 2014 spectrum

Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Friday said it has paid Rs 15,519 crore to the government towards prepayment of its entire deferred liability pertaining to spectrum acquired in the 2014 auction. Read more

MARKETS

Indian equity markets correct 3% for the week; experts discuss road ahead for investors

It was a sea of red on Dalal Street with the Nifty and the Sensex seeing sharp cuts on Friday. For the week both the indices ended over 3 percent lower. Check what experts say

Can’t rule out 10% correction in 2022, says Shankar Sharma

Market veteran Shankar Sharma believes that the markets can see a correction in 2022. He remains bullish on the IT sector while adding that bank stocks might underperform expectations of a stellar run. Dig deeper

Why are Indiabulls Housing Finance shares falling and is this an opportunity?

Indiabulls Housing Finance shares are down around 8 percent after founder Samir Gehlaut sold his 11.9 percent stake in the company. CNBC-TV18’s Nimesh Shah explains the factors behind the fall and whether it is an opportunity to buy the stock. Read more 

INDIA

India’s Omicron tally rises to 101;

India’s Omicron tally has surged to 101. The COVID-19 ‘variant of concern’ has been reported in 11 states so far. Check more details

Dr VK Paul on when decision on booster shots will be taken

Head of India’s National COVID Task-Force, Dr VK Paul has said the decision on booster shots will be taken when science dictates. Read more

Supreme Court stays proceedings of Lokur panel probing Pegasus snooping allegations

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the ongoing probe by the West Bengal government-appointed commission headed by former apex court Justice MB Lokur into the Pegasus snooping allegations. Read more

WORLD

CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shots over J&J’s

Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, US health officials said. Read more

Why US is targeting China in its war on painkillers

The US has imposed new sanctions on drug manufacturers in an effort to crack down on the flow of cheap foreign-made painkillers into the country. Dig deeper

Miss World 2021 finale postponed as COVID strikes

The Miss World 2021 finale has been temporarily postponed after several of the contestants and staff contacted COVID-19. The announcement came from the Miss World Organisation just hours before the finale was about to begin. Read more

YOU & ME

Want to gift bitcoins? Check four easy ways to do it

Gifting cryptos to your near and dear ones can be a wonderful way to get them started on their investment journey. If you are wondering how to gift Bitcoin, here are the various ways

2021 rewind: 4 Hindi films released on Netflix this year that you should watch

2021 has been an interesting year for Hindi cinema. Since stars are too big for small screens, a lot of young, emerging talent found their way into homes and hearts. Here are 4 films on Netflix you must watch

Top mistakes to avoid before investing in mutual funds

Check out tips by experts on what to buy, how to trade and how to invest in mutual funds. Read more

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Supreme Court stays proceedings of West Bengal’s Lokur panel probing Pegasus snooping allegations

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the ongoing probe by the West Bengal government-appointed commission headed by former apex court Justice MB Lokur into the Pegasus snooping allegations. A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli took note of the plea that despite the assurance of the West Bengal government that the Lokur panel would not proceed with the inquiry, the commission has commenced its work.

The apex court on October 27 had appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the court a mute spectator. Former Supreme Court judge Lokur and former chief justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmay Bhattacharya are the members of the commission of inquiry announced by the West Bengal government last month.

An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Spyware firm NSO looking to shut down Pegasus unit, sell company, says report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The NSO Group, the Israeli cyber security firm that’s known for its controversial Pegasus unit, is looking to sell the entire company and shut down operations, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company, which has been embroiled in scandals and lawsuits, is at the risk of defaulting on its debts, said the report, adding that it has been in talks with investment funds for either refinancing its existing debt, or barring that an outright sale.

According to the report, two US-based funds that are in the running to take over the company have already discussed shutting down the Pegasus unit. In return, they’ll be investing $200 million in the company to turn Pegasus into a strictly defense-oriented cyber security service, it said.

The notorious spyware allowed clients of NSO, which the company claims to be legitimate governments, to comprehensively spy on their targets. Once on a mobile device through an unsecured link or dropped WhatsApp video call, even encrypted messaging apps are not secure. Pegasus sees messages, tracks call logs, user activity through apps, gathers location data of the device, can access the camera, and listen in through the microphone.

>>Pegasus row: How much does it cost to use the spyware?

However instead of terror threats, recent journalistic investigations found that NSO clients were using the spyware to keep tabs on political opponents, human rights activists, lawyers and journalists.

The Pegasus Project, as the investigation was named, alleged that in India the spyware was used to spy on ministers, opposition leaders, political strategists and tacticians, journalists, activists, minority leaders, Supreme Court judges, religious leaders, administrators like Election Commissioners and heads of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In response to the allegations, the Supreme Court of India ordered an independent probe in the matter in October.

The group has a debt of about $450 million. The company had been bailed out by a management buyout just two years ago which saw it being valued at nearly $1 billion.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow