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<ul><li>A Citizen Lab report shows one operator, code named Ganges, has been installing the spyware Pegasus on phones in India since 2017 and is still active. </li><li>The spyware was installed using telecom operators including <keyword id="6354287" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharti-airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword>, MTNL, Hathway, and the National Internet Backbone. </li><li>The report also suggests that the operator ‘may indicate political themes in the targeting’. </li></ul>NSO Group’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/heres-why-facebook-is-suing-the-nso-group-over-the-whatsapp-hack/articleshow/71814518.cms">spyware attack on WhatsApp</a> may only be the tip of the iceberg. While the <keyword id="4298942" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Whatsapp-hack">WhatsApp hack</keyword> was only reported in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/whatsapp-was-hacked-and-attackers-installed-spyware-on-peoples-phones/articleshow/69322108.cms">May</a>, another operator has been hacking Indian users with Pegasus since 2017. An investigation by <a href="https://citizenlab.ca/2018/09/hide-and-seek-tracking-nso-groups-pegasus-spyware-to-operations-in-45-countries/">Citizen Lab</a> shows that India was one of the primary targets for an operator dubbed Ganges. According to the report, Ganges has been installing NSO’s flagship spyware, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/jeff-bezos-intimate-messages-data-from-drug-cartels-adnan-kashoggi-the-many-things-pegasus-is-suspected-of-hacking-before-whatsapp/articleshow/71849602.cms">Pegasus</a> on phones for the past two years. The report also points out that the operator may have used political themes to target users because one of the domains used was ‘signpetition[.]com’. Internet and telecom providers infected <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/airtel-may-sell-assets-to-pay-3-billion-in-dues-to-dot-believes-rating-agency/articleshow/71820459.cms">Bharti Airtel</a>, the government run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/bsnl-and-mtnl-will-be-merged-and-employees-will-be-offered-voluntary-retirement-as-part-of-revival/articleshow/71721917.cms">MTNL</a>), <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/broadband-plans-of-airtel-hathway-and-reliance-jio-compared/articleshow/70953780.cms">Hathway,</a> and Star Broadband Services are suspected of being infected with Pegasus. Citizen Lab also concluded that the National Internet Backbone (NIB) is also one of the points of entry for Ganges. NIB provides nation-wide connectivity to all internet service providers (ISPs) — and their customers, which means anyone with an internet connection would be vulnerable. The only point of respite is that unlike the WhatsApp hack where the user had no control over whether or not they would be the receipt of a missed call that would infect their phone, Ganges requires a user to interact with the domain link in order to access their system. More questions than answers The Indian government is demanding a response from WhatsApp over the NSO Group allegedly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-confirms-indian-activists-and-journalists-were-hacked-as-nso-claims-its-contractually-prohibited/articleshow/71831583.cms">hacking 121 Indian users</a>. But Citizen Lab’s report indicates that the problem is more expansive and still prevalent. WhatsApp launched an update to counter the bug that NSO was exploiting but Ganges is still presumed to be active. And the Whatsapp hack only came to light in May 2019, while Ganges has been around for at least two years. It’s possible that Pegasus was also being used for surveillance since it specifically hacked into Bharti’s Airtel’s GPRS Service. This would allow the software to track users with their location sensor was enabled. Ganges also infected users in Brazil, Pakistan, Singapore and Bangalore but most of its net was cast out over India. Overall, Citizen lab has identified 36 likely operators around the world and 45 that have been infected with Pegasus. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-hacker-pegasus-spyware-attacked-100-others/articleshow/71851228.cms">The shadowy firm behind WhatsApp hack is involved in 100 other spyware attacks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-spyware-hack-raises-security-concerns-around-its-upcoming-payments-service/articleshow/71888781.cms">WhatsApp spyware hack raises security concerns around its upcoming payments service</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/heres-why-facebook-is-suing-the-nso-group-over-the-whatsapp-hack/articleshow/71814518.cms">Here’s why Facebook is suing the NSO Group over the WhatsApp hack</a>

WhatsApp spyware Pegasus might have also hacked Bharti Airtel, MTNL, Hathway and others

<ul><li>India's Kudankulam nuclear plant was hacked by North Korean malware last week. </li><li>The code behind the hack suggests that the cyber attack was only a small part of a much bigger operation, according to a cybersecurity expert. </li><li>ORF believes that hacking into India's nuclear power plant might only be a "prelude to something greater". </li></ul>India's Kudankulam nuclear plant which faced numerous hurdles like protests and delays — is now facing a graver threat, three years after it started operations. Malware attacked its systems and the code suggests that it was only a small part of a much 'bigger operation'. The hack of the India's nuclear plant definitely originated in North Korea, Choi Sang-myeong from the Seoul-based Issue Makers Lab told <a href="https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/11/article/north-koreans-behind-indian-nuclear-plant-hack/">Asia Times</a>. The country which is run by dictator Kim Jong Un is in the middle of global nuclear power controversy. And, India which has also been under US pressure over nuclear warfare assets — has a new problem to deal with. As per Kaspersky, the malware is from the 'DTrack' malware family, which is normally linked to Lazarus Group. According to US intelligence, the Lazarus Group is a hacking collective composed of North Koreans. North Korea shifts targets In the past, North Korea has used their cyber attack capabilities to target civilians. Now they seem to be tasked with disrupting the operation of atomic plants or stealing proprietary information from them, according to Choi. According to the Observer Research Foundation (<a href="https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/cyber-attack-against-knppp-and-isro-the-threat-comes-home-57700/">ORF</a>), this act of cyber espionage might only be a "prelude to something greater". The shift in North Korea now targeting nuclear facilities is an indicator of their growing cyber prowess. It also supports <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/20/north-korea-cyber-war-spying-study-fire-eye">FireEye</a>'s — a private security firm based out of the US — claims from last year that the isolated nation is spreading its cyber attacks to infiltrate aerospace and defence companies around the world. According to FireEye, North Korea "has expanded its operations in both scope and sophistication". India's lax security standards may foil its attempts to use nuclear power as a sustainable source of energy in the future — especially if all it took was one malware link to penetrate the system. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-confirms-indian-activists-and-journalists-were-hacked-as-nso-claims-its-contractually-prohibited/articleshow/71831583.cms">WhatsApp confirms Indian activists and journalists were hacked as NSO claims it's 'contractually prohibited'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-spyware-pegasus-might-have-also-hacked-bharti-airtel-mtnl-hathway-and-others/articleshow/71891197.cms">WhatsApp spyware Pegasus might have also hacked Bharti Airtel, MTNL, Hathway and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-hacker-pegasus-spyware-attacked-100-others/articleshow/71851228.cms">The shadowy firm behind WhatsApp hack is involved in 100 other spyware attacks</a>

Indian nuclear plant hack is only one small part of a much 'bigger' operation, according to a cybersecurity expert

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WhatsApp spyware Pegasus might have also hacked Bharti Airtel, MTNL, Hathway and others

Prabhjote Gill

Indian nuclear plant hack is only one small part of a much 'bigger' operation, according to a cybersecurity expert

Prabhjote Gill

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