It is raining bug bounties for Indian ethical hackers and cybersecurity researchers as now, an Ahmedabad-based security researcher Bipin Jitiya has won ₹23.8 lakh ($31,500) from <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> for identifying a bug in its social networking platform and a third-party business intelligence portal. Jitiya, 26, identified the web security vulnerability in internal blind Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) in the source code of a publicly accessible endpoint, built using tools from MicroStrategy, that performed custom data collection and content generation. MicroStrategy has partnered with Facebook on data analytics projects for several years. Jitiya reported the bug to the MicroStrategy's security team, who acknowledged it, saying the issue has been mitigated. "I have always aimed in finding bugs in Facebook because it is the biggest social network on Earth with best-in-class security features in place. This time, they have awarded me with $31,500 for finding a critical bug. I have identified bugs in their systems in the past too," Jitiya told IANS on Monday. In a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attack, the attacker can abuse functionality on the server to read or update internal resources. In typical SSRF attacks, the attacker might cause the server to make a connection back to itself, or to other web-based services within the organization's infrastructure, or to external third-party systems. "I created a scenario that shows how the sensitive information leakage may be useful for launching specific attacks like path traversal and Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF). If an attacker is able to learn the internal IP addresses of the network, it is much easier for him/her to target systems in the internal network," explained Jitiya. The bug has now been fixed. "When I first got this bug on Facebook server I tried to convert it to RCE (remote code execution) but, unfortunately, they implemented good security measures. However, I made a total of $31500 ($1,000 + $30,000 + $500) from this vulnerability," he informed. On a question whether he would join Facebook cybersecurity research team if given an offer, Jitiya told IANS: "I would like to stay in India and work as a security researcher for Indian firms. I am not a bug bounty hacker". Last month, a 27-year-old Indian security researcher Bhavuk Jain grabbed $100,000 (over Rs 75.5 lakh) from Apple for discovering a now-patched Zero Day vulnerability in the Sign in with Apple account authentication. The Zero Day vulnerability could have allowed a hacker to break into an Apple user's account who log into third-party apps like like Dropbox, Spotify, Airbnb and Giphy (now acquired by Facebook) and more. "Indian ethical hackers and security researchers have come of age, and are now creating headlines the world over with their unmatched skills," said Jitiya.

Facebook pays ₹23.8 lakh to Indian security researcher for finding a bug

Indian security researcher Bhavuk Jain has grabbed $100,000 (over Rs 75.5 lakh) from Apple for discovering a now-patched Zero Day vulnerability in the Sign in with <keyword id="9320578" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple-account-authentication">Apple account authentication</keyword>. The Zero Day vulnerability could have allowed a hacker to break into an Apple user's account who log into third-party apps like like Dropbox, Spotify, Airbnb and Giphy (now acquired by <keyword id="6354576" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>) and more. Jain who holds a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication discovered Zero Day bug in 'Sign in with Apple' that affected third-party applications which were using it, and didn't implement their own additional security measures. "This bug could have resulted in a full account takeover of user accounts on that third party application irrespective of a victim having a valid Apple ID or not," Jain said in a statement on Saturday. "For this vulnerability, I was paid $100,000 by Apple under their <keyword id="9320577" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple-security-bounty-programme">Apple Security Bounty programme</keyword>," he announced. Jain is a full-stack developer interested mostly in mobile app development using React Native. He is currently a full-time bug bounty hunter "trying to make the internet a safer place for everyone". Launched in 2019, 'Sign in with Apple' is aimed to be a more privacy-focused alternative to third-party logins. Jain disclosed the flaw to Apple which led to an award from Apple's bug bounty programme. Apple has since patched the bug. According to Jain, the 'Sign in with Apple' works similarly to 'OAuth 2.0'. "There are two possible ways to authenticate a user by either using a JWT (JSON Web Token) or a code generated by the Apple server. The code is then used to generate a JWT," he explained. In the second step, while authorizing, Apple gives an option to a user to either share the Apple Email ID with the third party app or not. If the user decides to hide the Email ID, Apple generates its own user-specific Apple relay Email ID. "Depending upon the user selection, after successful authorization, Apple creates a JWT which contains this email ID which is then used by the 3rd party app to login a user," said Jain. He found that he could request JWTs for any email ID from Apple and when the signature of these tokens was verified using Apple's public key, they showed as valid. "This means an attacker could forge a JWT by linking any Email ID to it and gaining access to the victim's account," Jain noted. The impact of this vulnerability was quite critical as it could have allowed full account takeover. A lot of developers have integrated Sign in with Apple since it is mandatory for applications that support other social logins. Before patching the bug, Apple did an investigation of their logs and determined there was no misuse or account compromise due to this vulnerability. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/spacex-just-launched-its-historic-mission-to-fly-nasa-astronauts-to-space/articleshow/76114304.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">MUSK MAKES HISTORY: SpaceX just launched 2 people into orbit for the first time, kicking off the rocket company's most important mission since its founding 18 years ago</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-india-records-highest-single-day-spike-of-8380-cases-death-toll-climbs-to-5164/articleshow/76116076.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India records highest single-day spike of 8,380 coronavirus cases— death toll climbs to 5,164</a>

A 27-year-old Indian developer bags ₹75 lakh for reporting a critical flaw in ‘Sign in with Apple’

OYO Hotels &amp; Homes, the world's leading hospitality chain, today announced that it will continue to ramp up efforts to improve its information security framework as well as roll-out stronger ethical hacking and bug bounty programs to encourage continuous improvement and collaboration with ethical hacking experts. This development is in line with the company's commitment towards ensuring data privacy and building a robust cybersecurity network. According to Jagbir Singh, Engineering Manager - DevOps and InfoSec, OYO Hotels &amp; Homes, "One of our biggest assets is the trust our customers, partners and employees place in us. We understand that trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. One key responsibility in earning this trust is protecting the data our customers and other stakeholders have with us from any unauthorised use. Our team of 1100+ world-class security, network and software engineers and external partners across multiple geographies is at work 24x7 ensuring the protection of this data, so our customers and stakeholders can rest easy." The Bug Bounty program that the company aims to introduce is towards ensuring that there is a credible and continuous flow of positive feedback from independent security groups and individual researchers to mitigate against any bug or shortfall in the company's systems. This is in line with the established practice of recognition and reward for ethical hackers who help responsibly investigate shortfalls within the tech architecture of several tech companies including the likes of Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Google etc. OYO has accordingly developed an improved responsible disclosure policy to encourage honest and responsible reporting of any potential risks. Additionally, OYO has partnered with a specialized cybersecurity startup, AppSecure/Hackerhive, that connects companies and ethical hackers to help the former discover and fix security vulnerabilities and is in the process of developing a full-fledged bug bounty program. Security a priority Security is an integral part of any process at OYO; beginning from the collection of data, during transfer and processing to storage at rest. We follow a comprehensive information security framework based on NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA), ISO 27001 and other stringent industry standards. Our commitment also extends to employee training and sensitization at every step. All new joiners at OYO go through information security training as part of the New Employee Orientation. The company's software developers and other Information Security personnel also attend a mandatory quarterly refresher since the technology in this space is dynamic and evolving very quickly. There is also an annual mandatory refresher training for all existing employees. Commenting on this announcement, Anil Goel, Group Chief Technology and Product Officer, said, "We have a robust and world-class security team comprising of in-house and external experts employing best in class security techniques including virtual private networks/cloud, firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection devices (IPS and IDS), security trainings for all engineers, static and dynamic code analysis, regular vulnerability assessments and network penetration tests. In today's digital world, a cyberattack is a real concern. Hence, in line with our efforts to continually improve, we are investing in ethical hacking programs as well." OYO also joined hands with other technology companies to address the issue of increasing online frauds and save guests from cybercrimes. Along with other companies, OYO met the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) representatives and made a joint representation on the issue that also addressed the plan on how to curb these online frauds followed by a meeting with other stakeholders in the telecom industry. The company has a long way to go and as it continues to amplify investments in this ever-evolving space, it aims to continually improve. About OYO Hotels and Homes Opening its doors in 2013, OYO Hotels &amp; Homes, a young hotel startup, today is the world's leading chain of hotels and homes. The portfolio combines fully operated real estate comprising more than 43,000 hotels with over 1 million rooms. Through its vacation homes business, the company offers travellers and city dwellers access to over 130,000 homes around the world under OYO Home, Belvilla, Danland, Dancenter and Germany-based Traum-Ferienwohnungen brands. OYO today operates in over 800 cities in 80 countries, including the U.S., Europe, U.K., India, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Japan.

OYO to roll out comprehensive ethical hacking and bug bounty programs

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51456612.cms" /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=indian+research">Indian researchers</a>, who found defects or errors in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=facebook">Facebook</a> under bug bounty programme, got Rs 4.84 crore. 
 
Facebook said India holds top rank among 127 nations in contributing to the bug bounty programme. 
 
Under Facebook’s bug bounty programme, researchers get rewarded for finding out security bugs, identifying vulnerabilities in Facebook's services that are a threat to security and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=privacy">privacy</a>. 
 "India is home to the largest population of security researchers (205) participating in the <keyword id="3289806" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook-bug-bounty-programme">Facebook bug bounty programme</keyword> since its inception in 2011. The country also holds the top spot for most bounties paid (Rs 48.4 million)," wrote Adam Ruddermann, a technical program manager on the Facebook Bug Bounty team, on a blog. 
 
Since its launch in 2011, Facebook's bug bounty programme has received over 2,400 valid submissions and has awarded more than $4.3 million to 800-plus researchers globally. 
 
The average payout was $1,780. India, Egypt, and Trinidad and Tobago received the highest number of payouts. 
 
Explaining how Facebook calculated the risk and bounties paid to researchers, Ruddermann said the company looks at the potential impact of a bug, what could possibly go wrong, and who would be affected.

Indian researchers find bug in Facebook, get Rs 4.84 crore

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/53737918.cms" /> <keyword id="2505279" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="bug-bounties">Bug bounties</keyword> is the term used for monetary rewards that tech firms offer to geeks for spotting bugs, errors and security flaws that could lead to severe problems in case hackers spot them. 
 
Off lately, several Indian techies are getting more and more interested in these bug bounties. As per a report by one of the earliest crowd-sourcing companies called Bugcrowd, 28.2% of the hackers that signed up for bug bounty programmes until March were Indians, followed by US (24.4%), the UK (3.9%), Pakistan (3.5%) and Australia (2.4%). 
 
Bug bounties started in 1995, with Netscape announcing rewards to hackers who found bugs in its web browser. Since then, almost all the tech giants, be it Facebook, Google, Apple, Twitter or Yahoo!, have either launched their own programmes or hired with third-party companies to reward hackers who find bugs in their programmes. 
 
Not only IT companies, companies like General Motors, Khan Academy, Starbucks and United Airlines have also run bug bounty programmes, but these are rarely run by Indian companies, fearing security breach in case they have an inside look at their codes. 
 
Paytm, one of the few Indian companies that have run bug bounty programmes, says that open-sourcing security has resulted in more 'hack-proof ' systems. 
 
"While our internal testing teams are always on high alert, bug bounty programmes help us identify sporadic loopholes in our system, and fix them immediately," Sourabh Sharma, assistant vice-president at Paytm, told <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/indians-top-league-of-nerds-in-spotting-bugs-for-tech-companies/articleshow/53730568.cms">ET</a>. 
 
While bounties vary from $100 to $200,000 on the international front, Indian companies are very finicky when it comes to these rewards. "Instead of money payments, they send certificates or goodies - CDs, pen drives, T-shirts, etc. These are not lucrative enough," said Vikram Karthik, a Chennai-based ex-security researcher. "Some companies delay the payment and inform a week later that the specific vulnerability has already been reported," he added. 
 
<a href="https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dOTSbh28VvCfhwXERInIvr4g03Q=/0x111:1200x786/1600x900/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45809074/bug_bounty.0.0.jpg">Image source</a>

Bug bounties attracting Indians like never before companies

New Delhi, A bug during a <keyword id="8601386" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook-test">Facebook test</keyword> recently exposed the <keyword id="74417" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-information">personal information</keyword> like email addresses and birthdays of <keyword id="1487422" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram-users">Instagram users</keyword>, the media reported. Saugat Pokharel, an experienced bug hunter from Nepal, discovered the bug. The attack used <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>'s Business Suite tool, available to any Facebook business account, reports The Verge. Pokharel found that the attack worked on accounts that were set to <keyword id="6356430" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="private">private</keyword> and accounts that were set to not accept DMs from the public. "If an account did not accept DMs, the user potentially would not receive any notification indicating their profile may have been viewed," the report said on Friday. Facebook patched the vulnerability after being reported. According to a Facebook spokesperson, the bug was only accessible for a short period of time during a small test. "A researcher reported an issue where, if someone was a part of a small test we ran in October for business accounts, personal information of the person they were messaging could have been revealed," the company spokesperson was quoted as saying. "This issue was resolved quickly, and we discovered no evidence of abuse. Through our Bug Bounty Program we rewarded this researcher for his help in reporting this issue to us". Pokharel earlier found another bug in <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> and awarded a $6,000 bug bounty payout. He found that Instagram retained photos and private direct messages on its servers long after he deleted them. The company fixed the bug and allowed Pokharel to disclose the bug issue. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heres-what-analysts-say-if-you-should-subscribe-or-not-to-the-300-crore-ipo-of-antony-waste-handling-cell/articleshow/79790998.cms">Antony Waste Handling Cell ₹300-crore IPO will open on Monday— these are the risks and opportunities</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ikea-india-cfo-says-she-still-has-3500-crore-to-be-spent-in-india-the-pandemic-has-changed-targets-but-not-the-investment-plan/articleshow/79790938.cms">INTERVIEW: Ikea CFO says she still has ₹3,500 crore to be spent in India⁠— the pandemic has changed targets but not the investment plan</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/india-will-produce-300-million-doses-of-the-russian-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-next-year/articleshow/79795341.cms">India will produce 300 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine next year</a>

Facebook fixes bug that exposed Instagram users' personal information

Every year people in India celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha with great fervour and devotion. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 19. Traditionally devotees across the country would bring an idol of Lord Ganesh in their homes, but this year most celebrations have been shifted online. While we stay at home and maintain distance, we can wish our relatives and friends online using these messages — <ul><li>Om Gan Ganapatay Namo Namah! Shri Siddhivinayak Namo Namah! Asta Vinayak Namo Namah! Ganapati Bappa Moraiya!</li><li>On this occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, I wish Lord Ganpati visits your home with bags full of happiness, prosperity, and peace.</li><li>Destroy your sorrows; Enhance your happiness; And create goodness all around you this Ganesh Chaturthi. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to you and your family.</li><li>May the Lord Vighna Vinayaka remove all obstacles from your path and shower you with blessings and bounties. Happy Vinayak Chaturthi!</li><li>A new sunrise, a new start. Oh Lord Ganesha, keep loving me in your heart. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!</li><li>May Ganpati remove all your troubles and bless you with a delightful time ahead. I wish a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to your family. </li><li>Nothing can replace the peace and happiness that Ganesha brings to our homes each year. Here's celebrating the birth anniversary of the adorable son of Shiva and Parvati. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.</li><li>There's something magical about this festival. It transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, darkness into light and agony into ecstasy. Lord Ganesha brings along with him unparalleled energy, happiness, and joy. Here's wishing you and your family a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.</li><li>With the blessings of Ganpati Bappa, may you achieve success in all your endeavours. A very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to you and your family.</li></ul> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/these-are-the-top-20-cleanest-cities-in-india-in-2020/articleshow/77650052.cms"></a>

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 wishes, quotes and messages

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56331246.cms" /> When it comes to hacking, most of us think about a geek sitting infront of a super cool laptop and he can steal a lot of money from banks. It’s not entirely our fault that we think of it like that but we have grown up watching movies and this is what happens in them. Apart from such hackers there are hackers which are good people and go for ethical hacking or white caller hacking and recently, there demand has increased exponentially in India. 
 
White hat hackers, or ethical hackers, who scope out and report bugs in software are in high demand globally. Tech giants spends a hefty amount on bug-bounty programmes every year rewarding lone-wolf white hat hackers for finding weaknesses in their applications. Companies also specifically hire these hackers to probe their apps and websites. 
 The trend has hit India too and <keyword id="205343" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shashank-Kumar">Shashank Kumar</keyword>, a second-year engineering student, has been swamped this winter break. As a freelance white hat hacker, he has been spending most of his vacation scanning payment applications and ecommerce websites for security vulnerabilities. 
 
"Indian companies have now woken up to cybersecurity," 22-year-old Kumar, who has been approached by several Indian firms post the government's recent demonetisation decision and embrace of cashless transactions, told ET. 
 
Kumar, who has signed nondisclosure agreements with these companies, says he has earned about Rs 1.2 lakh in the past two months alone. The spike in online transactions since November has put digital payment companies under severe scrutiny, with users and experts questioning their readiness against sophisticated cyberattacks. And what better approach to safeguard systems than to put them under attack by the good guys? 
 Another white hacker, <keyword id="4027565" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="prakhar-prasad">Prakhar Prasad</keyword>, is a student of computer application. During the past two months, he has been busy on assignments for big payment companies trying to worm his way into their payment gateways to find leaks. Prasad gets paid by the severity of the bug he discovers. A few companies also pay him on a monthly contract, in the range of $500 to $600 a month.Overall, he's made up to Rs 4 lakh since November. 
 
Prasad, now 22, has been participating in bug-bounty programmes since he was 16. But this is the first time he is working for Indian companies. 
 "Security is a new concept for Indian companies," Prasad, who has found bugs for <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>, <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword>, Twitter and <keyword id="6357940" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paypal">PayPal</keyword>, among others, told ET. 
 
Indian online payment companies have been announcing various measures, including hiring ethical hackers, to beef up security against online frauds and attacks. 
 Globally, security platforms such as <keyword id="2464896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="HackerOne">HackerOne</keyword> also facilitate bug-bounty programmes, connecting white hat hackers with companies. 
 In India, however, white hat hackers are discovered by virtue of their online profiles, says <keyword id="106130" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anand-Prakash">Anand Prakash</keyword>, bug-bounty hunter who got famous for finding a vulnerability in Facebook and earning $15,000 for it. 
 
"In most cases, it is the chief technology officer or director of a company who emails you asking if you'd be interested in an assignment," Prakash, 24, who has taken up three assignments in the past two months, told ET

Post demonetisation, payment apps are turning to ethical hackers. Here’s why

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56df335fdd089575708b463c-1037-778/gettyimages-144527266.jpg" alt="Facebook" data-mce-source="GettyImages/Manjunath Kiran" />GettyImages/Manjunath Kiran</div></div></div>For about 72 hours, Anand Prakash had the ability to get into any Facebook account he pleased.Luckily Prakash, a hacker who lives in India, reported the scary vulnerability to Facebook directly in return for a $15,000 payout. In <a href="http://www.anandpraka.sh/2016/03/how-i-could-have-hacked-your-facebook.html">a blog post on Monday</a>, he outlined how he "could have hacked all Facebook accounts."Here's how he did it.When you forget your Facebook account password, you're able to request a reset by entering your email address or phone number on the social network's website. A 6-digit temporary login PIN is then sent to the email address or phone number you entered to let you reset the password.Prakash tried to keep guessing the temporary 6-digit PIN on Facebook's website, but he was blocked after 10-12 attempts. Then he tried the same thing on Facebook's beta site, which is used by developers to test apps on the platform.Because you can still log into any account on beta.facebook.com, Prakash tried to guess the 6-digit PIN and discovered that there was no max attempt number set like on Facebook's normal website. That allowed him to brute force hack the PIN by quickly entering every possible number combination on his computer."I tried to takeover my account (as per Facebook's policy you should not do any harm on any other users account) and was successful in setting new password for my account," he wrote on his blog. "I could then use the same password to login in the account."Prakash immediately reported his findings to Facebook and was awarded a $15,000 bounty for discovering the bug. It's common practice for major tech companies to pay bounties like that when hackers discover critical bugs and report them to the proper people."One of the most valuable benefits of bug bounty programs is the ability to find problems even before they reach production," A Facebook spokesperson told Tech Insider. "We're happy to recognize and reward Anand for his excellent report." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-emoji-reactions-like-love-haha-wow-angry-sad-2016-2">Facebook just made a massive change to its entire site</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="o3NGo5MTE6UAi-4L12AeSCAprOnLqx9s" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'o3NGo5MTE6UAi-4L12AeSCAprOnLqx9s',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

This hacker discovered a way break into any Facebook account

<ul><li>A bug in Facebook-owned <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> stopped the photo-sharing app from removing photos and <keyword id="9755249" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-direct-messages">private direct messages</keyword> from its servers even when the users had deleted those, the media reported. </li><li>Independent security researcher Saugat Pokharel found that when he downloaded his data from Instagram, his downloaded data contained photos and private messages with other users that he had previously deleted, reports Tech Crunch..</li><li>On Instagram, it takes usually about 90 days for deleted data to be fully removed from its systems.</li></ul>A bug in Facebook-owned Instagram stopped the photo-sharing app from removing photos and private direct messages from its servers even when the users had deleted those, the media reported. Independent security researcher Saugat Pokharel found that when he downloaded his data from Instagram, his downloaded data contained photos and private messages with other users that he had previously deleted, reports Tech Crunch. On Instagram, it takes usually about 90 days for deleted data to be fully removed from its systems. But in Pokharel's case, the Instagram data he had deleted was still there even after more than a year. Pokharel reported the issue to Instagram in October last year via its bug bounty programme. The bug was fixed earlier this month. "We've fixed the issue and have seen no evidence of abuse. We thank the researcher for reporting this issue to us," an Instagram spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report on Thursday. Pokharel also received $6,000 as bug bounty payout from Instagram. It's a near-identical issue that Twitter fixed last year, in which users could access long-deleted direct messages  including messages sent to and from suspended and <keyword id="9755250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="deactivated-accounts">deactivated accounts</keyword>  using its own data download tool. Last year, micro-blogging site Twitter faced the similar issue when it was accused of retaining messages shared on its platform including deleted messages along with data shared and received from accounts that have been suspended or deactivated. Security researcher Karan Saini found years-old messages in a file from a data archive obtained through the website from accounts that were no longer on Twitter. As part of its privacy policies, Twitter says that anyone wanting to leave the service can have their account "deactivated and then deleted" and after a 30-day grace period, the account, along with its data, disappears from the platform. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/heres-how-indias-74th-independence-day-celebrations-will-take-place-this-year/slidelist/77523536.cms">Here’s how India’s 74th Independence Day celebrations will take place this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/how-much-deloitte-kpmg-ey-and-pwc-accountants-and-consultants-make-from-entry-level-to-executive-roles/articleshow/77533447.cms">How much Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC accountants and consultants make, from entry level to executive roles</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/a-dwarf-planet-between-mars-and-jupiter-has-a-salty-ocean-beneath-its-surface-making-it-a-contender-for-alien-life/articleshow/77495476.cms">A dwarf planet between Mars and Jupiter has a salty ocean beneath its surface, making it a contender for alien life</a>

Instagram fixes bug that didn't let users remove photos, DMs

<ul><li>According to the report, Google is looking to acquire a stake of 5% in <keyword id="1553175" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone-Idea">Vodafone Idea</keyword>.</li><li>The news comes after Facebook picked up a 9.99% stake in leading telecom operator Reliance Jio for $5.7 billion.</li><li>Google’s interest in Vodafone Idea could be an after-thought, after it reportedly missed out on the Jio deal to Facebook.</li></ul>Shares of Vodafone Idea have surged by more than 30% on May 29 after reports suggested Google is exploring a stake purchase in struggling telecom operator. The move comes after Facebook picked up a 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio, India’s leading telecom operator. According to a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3f763918-d0b1-4a02-a581-e241753c75eb">report</a> by Financial Times, Google could pick up a 5% stake in Vodafone Idea. The report also adds that the talks are still in a “very early stage”, so the details of the deal could change. The report further adds that Google is also in talks to acquire a stake in Reliance Jio, and that the talks are still ongoing. However, since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/why-facebook-owner-mark-zuckerberg-wants-stake-in-mukesh-ambani-owned-reliance-jio/articleshow/74803994.cms">Facebook has already joined Jio</a>, it might make sense for Google to pick up a stake in Vodafone Idea, which is the second largest telco in the country by number of subscribers. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="74964136" title="A new research report says Vodafone Idea has to increase tariff by 39% to survive – and that will be a bounty for Reliance Jio and Airtel" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[<div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart" data-src="visualisation/2615319" data-url="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/2615319/embed"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script></div>]]></cdata></div> Note: Vodafone Idea's share price on 29-05-2020 is taken at 12:10 pm. A deal with Vodafone Idea could also come at a comparatively discounted price. Even though its share price has increased by 84% since March, it is relatively cheaper when compared to rival telecom operators like Airtel. <table><tbody><tr><td>Company</td><td>Market capitalisation (in crore)</td></tr><tr><td>Reliance Jio</td><td>₹4,89,075</td></tr><tr><td>Airtel</td><td>₹3,07,000</td></tr><tr><td>Vodafone Idea</td><td>₹16,665</td></tr></tbody></table> Note: Reliance Jio's valuation is based on the latest investment made by KKR. Airtel and Vodafone Idea's valuations are based on the closing price as on May 28, 2020. Vodafone Idea and its timeline of woes Since the entry of Jio, Vodafone Idea has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/vodafone-idea-and-its-timeline-of-woes/articleshow/74577942.cms">posted cumulative losses</a> of ₹77,000 crore, with ₹50,922 crore coming in September 2019 alone. It was hit by a demand of ₹53,000 crore by the Supreme Court for recovery of adjusted gross revenue dues. In November 2019, the telco’s UK parent Vodafone Plc wrote down the value of its Indian entity to nil. It also lost 36 million subscribers in the same month. According to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambanis-reliance-jio-becomes-the-largest-telco-by-revenue-and-subscribers-as-industry-shows-signs-of-recovery/articleshow/73667566.cms">latest numbers</a> released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Vodafone Idea has 336 million subscribers, while Jio is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/microsoft-mukesh-ambani-reliance-jio-are-partners-but-satya-nadella-wants-more/articleshow/76057690.cms">said</a> to have 387 million subscribers. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="74577942" title="Vodafone Idea and its timeline of woes" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The Indian telecom sector is too lucrative for the big tech companies to ignore The Indian telecom sector presents a good investment opportunity for big tech companies to expand their presence in the country. Although Vodafone Idea’s status is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/bharti-airtels-ceo-wants-vodafone-idea-to-survive-and-stay-on/articleshow/73973990.cms">critical right now</a>, the recent price hikes by all the three major telecom companies gives it a chance to survive in the market. Further, the Jio-Facebook deal has opened up the Indian telecom sector for investments. Since the deal with Zuckerberg’s company, Jio has found buyers in KKR, General Atlantic, Silver Lake and Vista Equity Partners. Airtel, the third-biggest telco, is also <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/airtel-parent-to-raise-1-billion-via-share-sale-today/articleshow/75989710.cms">looking to raise</a> $1 billion by selling a 2.75% stake to Fidelity, Segantii Capital, Norges Bank and others. Jio changed the face of Indian telecom sector India’s telecom sector has seen major upheaval since the entry of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio. After Jio’s entry, the Indian telecom sector has seen minor players like Tata Docomo, Aircel, Reliance Communications, Telenor either wind up or sell their business to Airtel. Amidst all this, Vodafone and Idea, which were two separate operators, decided to merge in 2018 to take on Reliance Jio. However, since then, the merged entity Vodafone Idea has been losing millions of customers due to multiple issues, including business uncertainty and a fall in its quality of service. Jio was the major beneficiary of this, going on to become the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambanis-reliance-jio-becomes-the-largest-telco-by-revenue-and-subscribers-as-industry-shows-signs-of-recovery/articleshow/73667566.cms">largest telecom operator in India</a> both by revenue and number of subscribers. Update: Vodafone Idea in a statement to NSE has said, "As part of corporate strategy, the company constantly evaluates various opportunities for enhancing the stakeholders’ value. As and when such proposals are considered by the Board of Directors of the Company warranting disclosures, the Company shall comply with the disclosure obligations under the SEBI Regulations. Currently, there is no proposal as reported by the media that is being considered at the Board." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/airtel-share-price-target-as-africa-unit-nears-a-billion-dollars-in-revenue/articleshow/75970641.cms">Airtel’s Africa unit is now a nearly-billion dollar business where every user pays 40% more than the one in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/if-vodafone-idea-increases-tariff-it-will-help-airtel-and-reliance-jio/articleshow/74964136.cms">A new research report says Vodafone Idea has to increase tariff by 39% to survive – and that will be a bounty for Reliance Jio and Airtel</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/india-is-changing-its-mobile-habits-and-that-can-help-airtel-and-vodafone/articleshow/75152973.cms">India is changing its mobile habits and that can help Airtel and Vodafone</a>

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