Although Bitcoin has been the most volatile in the past few years, yet this has not deterred the criminals from collecting bits from the Bitcoins. When we talk about extortion, we have seen the emergence and effectiveness of Ransomware using Bitcoins and other forms of crypto-currencies. We have also seen Crypto-Currency Miner (sic.Monero) being deployed on hacked servers/systems, so as to take advantage of the computational resources and generate crypto-currencies. However, lately, we have seen a rising trend in extortion emails, asking for Bitcoins.
These emails are in plain text format and warn the recipient of a malware being deployed on an Adult Porn Site, furthermore, in the mails, it is also explained in brief how the recipient's, the webcam was hacked, keylogger was deployed and the login credentials were stolen. The email also explains that a video was captured while they were busy visiting the Adult Porn site and the recipient is threatened with dire consequences viz. sharing of the video with those present in the stolen address book.
Similar to Ransomware and Miner Attacks, this scam also relies on the anonymity provided by crypto-currencies. It's a simple plain text threat, based on the premise that the recipient has visited some Porn site. The criminals have in most of the cases, successfully invoked the aspect of fear and social stigma into the psych/mind of the email recipients.
eScan's research team has been analyzing and tracking these emails and most importantly, the Bitcoin addresses found in these mails. The Modus-Operandi of the criminals is to
Create Bitcoin-Address for every Spam campaign.
In case the recipient's do pay up the extortion BTCs, the BTC is broken down and transferred to multiple Bitcoin Wallets so as to ensure that researchers find it difficult to track the transactions.
The breakdown and subsequent transfer of the BTC is done a couple of times, hence at the end of third iteration we have close to 100 BTC wallets.
Finally, all these wallets are consolidated and the BTCs transferred to one single wallet.
During the course of research, we came across numerous wallets with one of them (3FJDeT2E1fWb4oZBeub4MH9ennUp5e4QG6) having received around 31 BTC and were then sent to other wallets. The criminals have sometimes transferred the BTCs to Escrow Accounts / Exchanges to further anonymize/convert the BTCs into cash. At the existing exchange rate of BTC, the wallet was worth 1,49,09,139 INR and thus the Spam Campaign can be considered highly profitable and successful.
Some of the BTC addresses of the campaign:
* 19YayKasVoiRcjcihqmUpjVwvWB9aGyKCC
* 1DtBY4zD7cK35fpbNecpxSaEuEmfu9uyVG
* 1BmXuzjeWdoBKhsX8kJMNBFz5uJzrc2Gvc
* 1HRpxFdKGc7Anb7xfpQf3tmAcH6pph2ssX
* 1FCaw9jXhHveRyLxB54ypCpJ2CtanVoLC1
* 1MJcj7MdWeKR7eT7PukLG78jcRGf4opcsD
Due to the anonymity provided it is impossible to track the identity of the Wallet Owner. Since the month of August 2018, there has been steady increase in these extortion spam mails.
According to eScan researchers these mails are a part of a spam campaign and advices that recipients shouldn't reply to these emails. However, since this campaign is in its nascent stages, there is a possibility that in near future the emails might be weaponized with the usual variants.
Prevention Measures:
Ensure to not reply to these emails at all.
Install and Configure eScan with all security modules active.
eScan Real Time Monitoring
eScan Proactive protection
eScan Firewall IDS/IPS Intrusion prevention
Users shouldn't enable macros in documents.
Organizations should deploy and maintain a backup solution.
Most important, Organizations should implement MailScan at the Gateway Level for mail servers, to contain the spread of suspicious attachments.
Absolutdata, a leader in delivering scalable business impact through AI-powered solutions, advanced analytics, and data science services, today announced the appointment of Dr. Sudeep Haldar as Senior Vice President of Growth Analytics and AI Solutions.
In his role, Dr. Haldar will be instrumental in leading key strategic accounts and providing thought leadership to the organization. With deep expertise in leading-edge predictive analytics, he will help clients drive digital transformation, particularly through innovative use of AI and Machine Learning based solutions. He will also lead the development of Absolutdata’s NAVIK AI Platform for the enterprise. NAVIK AI combines AI, technology, data and analytics to serve as a foundation for building the intelligence stack for forward-thinking companies.
“Absolutdata has already made ground breaking strides in bringing AI deep into the enterprise,” said Dr. Haldar. “I look forward to driving growth in key strategic accounts and deploying AI solutions that bring scalable business impact to our clients.“
Dr. Haldar has over 25 years of experience in global analytics, marketing strategy, marketing effectiveness and consumer insights. He has worked in leadership roles with organizations such as Mondelēz, Kraft, Staples, McKinsey and Cerenti Marketing Group.
Sudeep holds a PhD in Marketing from Cornell University and has taught at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and Syracuse University. He is an engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore.
“Sudeep is an important asset to Absolutdata’s growth and an excellent fit for our executive team,” said Absolutdata’s CEO, Anil Kaul. “The NAVIK AI Platform and AI services are experiencing a high growth trajectory. Adding Sudeep to our team gives us strategic momentum and support during this time of rapid expansion in the AI arena.”
Greaves Cotton Limited, India’s specialist in last mile mobility solutions and a diversified company, announced the opening of its 100th organized service retail outlet, catering to current as well as future vehicles in the mobility segment. With the opening of this milestone store, Greaves aims to continue to deliver higher lifetime value for end customers at the bottom-of-the-pyramid with professional service. Greaves Care is a one-stop shop for all the service & repair needs of customers in the last mile transportation segment.
Commenting on the milestone, Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD & CEO, Greaves Cotton Limited, said “Greaves Care is a step closer to the customer in providing assurance to end customers in last mile segment. We aim to provide quality customer experience enhancing productivity for the last mile user. Greaves Care is a significant step towards delivering a rewarding retail experience, as we organize the existing unorganized service. This 100th service center strengthens our commitment to the market & supports our future foray to support future products and services.”
Greaves Care offers quality repairs by Company-trained mechanics, Greaves certified quality spare parts, quick service, transparent operations with a 6 months’ warranty on select parts. It also offers end-to-end vehicle service covering body, engine, transmission, electrical, lubricants & more through all of its 100 stores which have a standardized branded look & feel and customer centric process & systems. The quick turnaround time ensures customers get higher uptime on road, improved productivity & higher earning opportunity. Customers can also access the customer lounge and relax, access internet on their mobile phones through free Wi-Fi and watch TV while their vehicle gets serviced. They also get advice on vehicle upkeep & maintenance. In addition, frequent service camps, on-road assistance & night camps have been planned to help keep customers on the go and earn in an uninterrupted way. It will also be a center for service & care for products in the Farm & Energy segment.
Adding to this, K.Vijaya kumar, President Special Projects, “Greaves Care was started with a mission to provide our customers with end to end solutions. From humble beginnings in early 2018, Greaves Care has grown to 100 stores in a short timeframe. Greaves Cotton Limited aims to continue growing Greaves Care retail footprint and ensure everyone gets access to future ready services& products across India.”
These 100 Greaves Care service centers not only provide entrepreneurial support to workshop owners, but gives good opportunity to re-skill mechanics who are key breadwinners for their families & now live with a sense of pride in their communities.
Silvermine Group launches Saveyra, India’s homegrown emoji, avatar and stickers app. Saveyra is designed specifically for a new generation of India’s youth, who like to express identity, emotions and greetings with images. Saveyra presents a visual language that celebrates both our unique identity and the diversity of our community. Built with love and teamwork, this language helps us clearly see that we are stronger when we are together.
Saveyra, the app and keyboard, currently supports Hindi and English. It features avatars and stickers depicting a variety of emotions, greetings, and expressions. Avatars and stickers are customized for the user based on seasons, local customs, and the user’s design of the avatar. Dil ki baat, emoji ke saath.
Saveyra’s team is led by ESPN and NFL alum Manish Jha. A mobile industry veteran, Manish brings over two decades of media and technology expertise to Saveyra.
“Saveyra represents dawn, a new beginning, full of hope and optimism. The Saveyra app infuses the distinct voices of India’s diverse communities with a modern sensibility, a union inspired by the colourful history and tapestry of India itself,” said Manish Jha, CEO of Saveyra.
“Designed to be fun and playful, Saveyra empowers a new generation of youth with a positive self-image. Rather than using technology to divide people based on gender, race, class, caste, religion, etc., the Saveyra team celebrates our differences, reminding us that all of the world is indeed one family,” Jha continued.
With offices in Bengaluru, Los Angeles, and Madhubani, the Saveyra team collaborates across the world to bring the latest episode of what our ancestors started thousands of years ago when they started drawing on cave walls.
Saveyra supports the major communications platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, What’s App and Hike. Saveyra is adding new platforms all the time. Users can seamlessly browse for emojis and stickers within the keyboard and share their customized user created avatars.
Skullcandy, Inc. the performance and lifestyle audio brand founded at the intersection of innovation and creative culture, announced the expansion of their product line with new headphones-Venue. These innovative headphonesoffers a fully immersive listening experience that allows the user to discover their audio in a whole new way.
“Skullcandy is an iconic audio brand that embodies independence, creativity and appeals to our youthful and adventurous audio consumer,” said Jason Hodell, CEO of Skullcandy. “For 15 years, Skullcandy has thrived at the intersection of music, technology and boardsports by unleashing the visceral power of music for all. With Venue, we’re continuing our vision of delivering incredible immersive audio experiences,”.
Speaking on the launch Amlan Bhattacharjya, founder and CEO of Brandeyes Distributors Pvt. Ltd said, “The Venue brings with it the best in class audio experience with premium acoustics, innovation in voice technology and unrivaled comfort. It also has unique features such as fast charging and the TILE technology to track your headphones. We believe Venue will be a game changer in the active noise cancellation category.
While most noise-canceling products are only seen in the business class section of an airplane, Skullcandy’s newest wireless headphone, Venue, offers a noise-canceling experience designed for everyone — co-workers, roommates and commuters struggling to find their own space in shared working, living and traveling environments. Venue’s active noise canceling (ANC) technology is designed to deliver powerful ANC performance at an affordable price so that Skullcandy’s consumer can tune into what matters most to them: music they can feel. When users do need to tap into the outside world, Monitor Mode easily lets them hear their surroundings with just a push of a button.
In partnership withTile,Venue is embedded with a technology that allows you to track or find your headphones through the Tile application on a mobile device. With up to 24 hours of battery life, Bluetooth® capability and a premium travel case, Venue keeps the music going wherever it’s taken. Venue is also equipped with Rapid Charge technology, providing five hours of battery life with just a 10-minute charge.
Venue is available now for order online in both Black/Black and White/Crimson at Skullcandy.in, Brandeyes.in and in select retailers on October 10, 2018 priced at Rs. 18,999.
As a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Hairline International Hair & Skin Clinic has launched free tele-dermatology clinical consultation services for patients at Magadi General Hospital at Magadi. This has been done in association with the Health & Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka.
Several people of Magadi and surrounding region have been suffering from hair and skin related ailments like hair loss, acne, pigmentation to more serious bacterial, fungal and viral skin and hair infections, eczema and allergies including alopecia, contact dermatitis, herpes, melasma, vitiligo and psoriasis. They did not have access to expert medical consultation, until now. Realizing this lacuna, Hairline International took it on themselves to set up a free tele-dermatology consultation service for the people of the region.
This service and consultation room were inaugurated by M V Savithri, IAS, Former Health Commissioner and Secretary Panchayathraj and Dr. Amarnath T, DHO, Ramanagar District. The inauguration was followed up with a live demonstration of a consultation through a tab which has been provided to the hospital for the service.
Addressing the media, M V Savithri, IAS, Former Health Commissioner and Secretary Panchayathraj said, “This initiative by Hairline International allows for patients from rural areas to avail of expert consultations without having to wait for long hours in a hospital or for specialized doctors who make occasional visits. The ease of online evaluation and prescription gives people from the region specialized care and is a great example of the use of technology in dermatology and skincare.”
Speaking on the launch, Bani Anand, Founder and Managing Director, Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic says, “We at Hairline have always taken our corporate social responsibility initiatives very seriously. It is with this intention that we volunteered to tie up with the Health & Family Welfare Services of Government of Karnataka to provide this free service.”
Elaborating on the service, Anand explains, “For three days of the week, doctors at the Magadi Hospital, at a specially allocated consultation room in the hospital, will be able to have their patients clinically evaluated for hair and skin ailments free of cost via a software that acts as an interface between the hospital doctor and the dermatologist at Hairline. Prescriptions will also be provided online. Hairline International will plug into the software that will serve as an interface from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays”.
Speaking on what dermatology and trichology issues will be addressed via this online service, Dr. Dinesh Gowda, Senior dermatologist, Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic says, “This interface technology allows an expert at Hairline International to clinically evaluate a patient for ailments of hair loss and skin, their intensity and offer a line of medication that is given through a prescription. It provides local doctors with the ability to provide their patients with expert care. Tele-dermatology may be used to diagnose acne and acne scars, pigmentary conditions, wrinkles, photo-aging, sagging skin, hirsutism, stretch marks and much more”.
Dr. Premalatha V, Dermatologist, Hairline International Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic, who performed the demo further elaborates on these consultations and explains, “Our dermatologists and trichologists will be available for consultation as well as providing prescriptions. The hospital’s software will have all the necessary online forms that will enable us to take a patient’s history, provide prescriptions and maintain a record of their consultation. The focus here is on clinical evaluation of the patient more than aesthetics. Should a further input be required by a higher authority, then the patient will be referred to a district hospital”.
Currently the service is offered at one hospital and will soon go on to cover two more in the region.
At the IoT India Congress 2018, Aeris, a preferred Internet of Things (IoT) technology partner for Enterprises, today announced that it was awarded a contract by Sify Technologies Limited (SIFY), an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions and services leader, for delivery of IoT solutions to their customer, Paragon, India’s no.1 footwear brand.
Paragon aimed to address the issues of unexpected delays due to vehicle breakdown or wrong routes taken, leading to unpleasant incidents by errant drivers. This led to the search for an IoT-based solution to remotely track and monitor Paragons’ fleet in real-time in order to prevent vehicle misuse, idle time in the logistics chain and even driver behaviour. Since footwear is a distributor-retailer led business, all of these were critical to ensure that supplies reach the market on time, every time. Paragon decided to use technology to manage their nationwide fleet. After a thorough research of the IT vendor landscape and as a first step towards digitizing their supply chain, Paragon decided to implement the Aeris solution across its nation-wide fleet, thus making them a single connected entity.
Adoption of IoT is on the rise in India. The number of IoT devices in India is expected to increase significantly from roughly 200 million units in 2016 to 2.7 billion units by 2020, according to a NASSCOM report. By focusing on innovation and generating new opportunities, IoT is bringing retailers, consumers and every object in the value chain into the digital realm.
To address the growing need of data management arising from the accelerated growth projection of IoT in India, Aeris collaborated with Sify Technologies, to develop niche IoT offerings with managed services for the Indian Enterprises. At the core of Sify’s Digital Transformation model is the Cloud iteration of IoT services. Specific to this strategic alliance was a distinctive portfolio of managed Wi-Fi and Internet Service (ISP)-related offerings from Sify with propreitory IoT solutions and managed services from Aeris.
Aeris offers end-to-end IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions and services for the automobile, insurance, healthcare, utilities and manufacturing industries. Its comprehensive Aeris® Mobility IoT Platform (AMP) helps enterprises enhance revenue, create new services and business models. Aeris allows enterprises to evangelize and embark on their digital transformation journey across a portfolio of business solutions.
Aeris has successfully created unique IoT ecosystem for enterprises, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technologists, system integrators and solution providers across many vertical sectors. Aeris empowers organizations to optimize human intervention and attain real-time remote monitoring of machines, equipment, and other assets along with predictive and preventive maintenance of various products and assets within enterprises.
Abraham Chacko, Vice President HR, Paragon Polymer Products Pvt Ltd says, “With the successful deployment of an Aeris and Sify integrated IoT solution, we now have an advantage of minimizing the idle time, tracking a vehicle in real time, control and take timely action on the misuse of the vehicle in case a driver takes a wrong route, and quick loading and unloading based on the vehicle arriving information. This has significantly improved our distribution channel and dropped the number of complaints on late shipments.”
Daniel Alex, President- Telecom, Sify Technologies remarks, “This is a highly customised IoT proposition. The Aeris & Sify IoT solution helped Paragon’s sales and distribution achieve an optimal fleet utilisation in terms of cost/kms and turnaround time at the retailers’ end.”
Dr. Rishi Mohan Bhatnagar, President, Aeris India says, “We are delighted to share that Aeris IoT technology and our partnership with Sify, has helped Paragon take the first step towards a connected supply chain with our connected fleet and managed IoT services solution. Paragon has realised full potential of IoT and gained quantifiable benefits though this engagement.”
