Tag: security

  • Khan’s police security at Bani Gala withdrawn

    Khan’s police security at Bani Gala withdrawn

    The Islamabad Police Friday withdrew security from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala, reports Geo News.

    “Bani Gala is the former prime minister’s private residence. He has not been staying in Islamabad for the past several months,” a spokesperson for the capital’s police said, explaining why the security withdrawal with Geo News.

    According to media reports, one Deputy Superintendent of Police and 170 police personnel were deployed at Khan’s Islamabad home. 50 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) policemen have also left Khan’s Bani Gala house. The security personnel perform their duties in different shifts at Khan’s residence.

    The Punjab Home Department has also written to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to withdraw KP Police from the former prime minister’s home in Lahore’s Zaman Park.

  • 4,000 Safe City cameras to be installed in Rawalpindi to control crime

    4,000 Safe City cameras to be installed in Rawalpindi to control crime

    As part of the Rawalpindi Safe City Project, the administration is finalising a plan to monitor every section of the city by placing 4,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the roads.

    A spokesman for the Commissioner’s Office stated that Commissioner Saqib Manan had presided over a meeting to discuss the status of the Rawalpindi Safe City Project. He said that in order to increase surveillance and keep a close check on criminal activity in Rawalpindi, the Punjab government had chosen to engage in a contract with the Safe City Authority to put CCTV cameras in the city, according to The News.

    The meeting was informed that 950 locations had been chosen in Rawalpindi where around 4,000 cameras would be installed to monitor the city.

    He stated that the integrated system these CCTV cameras will operate under would assist reduce crime and strengthen the city’s law and order situation. Along with car tracking and surveillance, the idea would aid the police and the local government in managing traffic signals. Additionally, the project would be crucial in providing security during significant public events.

    In order to preserve peace and order in large cities, traffic control, and other public amenities, he claimed that current technology was employed everywhere; this system would also be implemented in Rawalpindi.

    A control and command centre would be built at the City Police Office, according to the spokesperson. He continued by saying that it would govern quick emergency and police responses, including intelligent traffic management, police unit dispatch, Rescue 1122 response, criminal identification, and virtual surveillance.

  • WhatsApp is far more private and secure than iMessage, says Mark Zuckerberg

    WhatsApp is far more private and secure than iMessage, says Mark Zuckerberg

    Apple iMessage is the target of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s most recent Instagram post. He asserts that WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, is much more private and safe than iMessages.

    He continued by listing capabilities of WhatsApp that are not found in iMessage, such as end-to-end encryption and message disappearance.

    A billboard in New York City for Meta advertising promotes WhatsApp over SMS or iMessage in conjunction with the Instagram post. It provides a side-by-side comparison of WhatsApp’s “Private” bubble with the Green and Blue bubble technique used in iMessage.

     “WhatsApp is far more private and secure than iMessage, with end-to-end encryption that works across both iPhones and Android, including group chats. With WhatsApp you can also set all new chats to disappear with the tap of a button. And last year we introduced end-to-end encrypted backups too. All of which iMessage still doesn’t have,” reads the Instagram post shared by Zuckerberg.

    According to The Verge, the privacy ad campaign is a big push for Meta. Spokesperson Vispi Bhopti told the publication that it “will appear on broadcast TV, digital video, outdoor, and social across the United States,” and billboards will be popping up in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

    Over 2 billion people use WhatsApp worldwide. In the US, it is not the default texting app. Meta seeks to increase WhatsApp’s US user base. Recently, Meta has promoted WhatsApp focused on security and privacy.

    Not just Meta, but other tech firms have criticised iMessage from Apple. Apple’s Messages app should support RCS, the SMS replacement, according to Google’s pressure on Apple. A valid criticism of Apple’s privacy-focused iPhone advertising is the reality that iMessage still relies on SMS and cannot be used to securely message people who use Android phones.

  • Putin grants Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden, who disclosed top secret US surveillance

    Putin grants Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden, who disclosed top secret US surveillance

    Edward Snowden, a former security expert who exposed top-secret American surveillance programmes and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges, was granted citizenship by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

    In order to avoid punishment, Snowden, who considers himself a whistleblower, left the United States and has been residing in Russia since that country gave him refuge in 2013.

    In a decree that Putin signed, Snowden, 39, was one of 72 foreigners who received citizenship.

    His attorneys stated at the time that he was filing for a Russian passport without renunciating his American citizenship when he was given permanent status in 2020.

    The state-run news agency RIA Novosti was informed on Monday by Snowden’s attorney, Anatoly Kucherena, that Snowden’s wife, Lindsay Mills, is also in the process of seeking for Russian citizenship. In 2014, Mills accompanied Snowden to Moscow. In 2017, they got married, and now they have a son together.

    Additionally, Kucherena stated that because of Snowden’s lack of combat experience, he would not be subject to the partial military mobilisation that Putin ordered last week to support Russia’s waning war in Ukraine. Putin claimed that only individuals with prior experience would be called up for partial mobilisation, but there have been several stories of other people receiving summonses, including those detained during anti-mobilization protests.

    According to CNN, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to comment on Snowden’s new passport, and instead referred questions to the prosecutors seeking his extradition. “Soc, since I believe there have been criminal charges brought against him, we would point you to the Department of Justice for any specifics on this,” Jean-Pierre said.

    Snowden’s revelations were the largest security breach in American history as it exposed the top-secret NSA programme PRISM’s use of surveillance and the collection of a wide spectrum of digital data.

    Putin stated in a documentary directed by American Oliver Stone in 2017 that he did not view Snowden as a “traitor” for disclosing official information.

    “As an ex-KGB agent, you must have hated what Snowden did with every fiber of your being,” Stone says in the clip.

    “Snowden is not a traitor,” Putin said. “He did not betray the interests of his country. Nor did he transfer any information to any other country which would have been pernicious to his own country or to his own people. The only thing Snowden does, he does publicly.”

    Snowden justified his decision to submit a dual citizenship application in 2020.

    “After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That’s why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship,” Snowden wrote on Twitter at the time.

    “Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the values of America we love — including the freedom to speak his mind. And I look forward to the day I can return to the States, so the whole family can be reunited,” Snowden added.

  • Google accidentally transfers $249,000 to self-proclaimed hacker’s bank account

    Google accidentally transfers $249,000 to self-proclaimed hacker’s bank account

    A blogger and security engineer who received a quarter-million dollars by mistake from Google claims he waited nearly a month for a response.

    On Wednesday, Sam Curry, who also describes himself as a hacker shared a screenshot along with the statement that the tech giant had “randomly” transferred him $249,999.

    Curry added in the tweet, “It’s OK if you don’t want it back,” adding that it had been more than three weeks since he had gotten the money and that he had been issued a support ticket when he contacted Google.

    Curry claimed that instead of spending the money, he saved it for the inevitable request for repayment from the corporation. He told NPR that in order to avoid paying tax on the money, he might need to transfer it to another account.

    The security engineer told NPR that he performs “bug bounty hunting” work for corporations like Google. He is paid to look for flaws in businesses’ software.

    He did not, however, see how the transfer related to his work at Google. As of Thursday, he still had the money.

    “Our team recently made a payment to the wrong party as the result of human error,” a Google spokesperson told NPR in a statement. “We appreciate that it was quickly communicated to us by the impacted partner, and we are working to correct it.”

    A Google spokesperson also disclosed to NPR that the company intended to recover the funds.

    A similar occurrence occurred last month when the cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com unintentionally sent a woman over $10 million instead of $100. She spent or transferred significant amounts of money by the time the corporation realised the blunder, which was seven months later.

  • India forced Twitter to hire agent, reveals former security chief

    India forced Twitter to hire agent, reveals former security chief

    According to a whistleblower statement to US authorities, a former Twitter security head said that the Indian government pressured the social media company to hire a government agent.

    Along with other security breach allegations at Twitter, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko brought up the matter with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

    According to a redacted version of the lawsuit posted by the Washington Post and confirmed by Zatko’s attorney at Whistleblower Aid, he claimed that Twitter’s lax security measures would have allowed the government agent access to sensitive user data.

    Without going into further detail, a corporate source told Reuters that the claims against the Indian government have already appeared on Twitter.

    Requests for comment from the Indian IT ministry’s representatives were not immediately responded.

    “What we’ve seen so far is a false narrative about Twitter and our privacy and data security practices that are riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies and lack important context,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

    India is engaging in unlawful activities and content on Twitter, according to the company’s management.

    After asking a local court to reverse several government orders to remove content from the social media site and alleging official abuse of authority, Twitter filed a lawsuit against the Indian government in July.

    The case’s next hearing will take place on August 25.

    “The company did not in fact disclose to users that it was believed by the executive team that the Indian government had succeeded in placing agents on the company payroll,” Zatko’s complaint noted.

    According to Washington Post, the National Security Division of the US Justice Department and the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence have received documentation corroborating Zatko’s assertions.

    CNN claims that these revelations of Twitter’s carelessness represent a serious threat to democracy and national security.

  • Apple warns of security flaw that lets hackers take full control of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks

    Apple warns of security flaw that lets hackers take full control of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks

    To protect against two security loopholes that might let hackers take full access to a user’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple owners have been warned to update their products immediately.

    Apple stated that there are solid reports suggesting that hackers have already been taking advantage of the flaws in both cases to attack users.

    According to Apple, one of the software flaws affects the kernel, the most core component of the operating system used by all devices. The other has an impact on WebKit, the engine that powers the Safari web browser.

    By accessing the settings menu on a mobile device or the “about this Mac” menu on a computer, users of macOS Monterey can get the update.

    According to experts, a hacker could gain “complete admin access to the device” and “run any code as if they were you, the user,” according to Apple’s explanation of the vulnerability.

    People “in the public spotlight,” such as activists or journalists, who could be the focus of sophisticated nation-state eavesdropping, should pay special attention to updating their software, according to Tobac.

    The vulnerabilities were previously categorised as “zero-day” issues since a fix had been made available for them for zero days prior to the fix’s release. Such flaws are extremely lucrative on the open market, and cyberweapon dealers will pay thousands or even millions of dollars for them.

  • ‘I am a professor, not a criminal,’ Shahbaz Gill says he is being subjected to extreme torture

    ‘I am a professor, not a criminal,’ Shahbaz Gill says he is being subjected to extreme torture

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill told a court in Islamabad today (Friday, August 12) that he is being subjected to extreme torture in custody.

    “I am a professor, not a criminal.” Gill said that he is not permitted to sleep and not even allowed to meet his lawyers. He alleged that no medical examination was conducted as claimed by the authorities. The Islamabad Police had earlier claimed that Gill underwent medical examination at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the medical report revealed that he was not tortured.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad hearing a sedition case against Gill on Friday (August 12) rejected the prosecution’s request to extend Gill’s physical remand. Instead, the court sent him to jail on judicial remand.

    Gill was presented in a court earlier today after the completion of two-day physical remand. On August 10, a court approved a two-day physical remand of Dr Shahbaz Gill in a sedition case.

    Read more – Islamabad court sends Gill to jail on judicial remand

    Strongly condemn the torture being inflicted on Shahbaz Gill: Imran Khan

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan said he strongly condemns the torture being inflicted on Shahbaz Gill.

    “Under what law & under who’s orders is this being done? If he broke any law then he shd be given a fair hearing.”

    Imran Khan added: “A climate of fear is being spread to make ppl kowtow before cabal of crooks.”

  • 10,000 police officials deployed in Lahore for foolproof security

    10,000 police officials deployed in Lahore for foolproof security

    The Lahore Police has finalised the security measures for Youm-e-Ashur. For the 10th of Muharram, more than 10,000 police officers and security personnel, including 370 female authorities will be on duty.

    The provincial capital will host 227 majalis and 47 funeral processions. Pillion riding will be completely prohibited on the 9th (today) and 10th (tomorrow) of Muharram.

    On the paths of the major processions, it has been determined to halt mobile service at particular periods. The security of the main processions will be patrolled by more than 21 teams of Elite, 21 teams of PRU, and 26 teams of Dolphin Squad, according to The News.

    The organisers were also given instructions to make sure the code of conduct was followed in this regard.

    Using a video link, commissioners and regional police officers (RPOs) from all around Punjab gathered. The meeting was updated on the security preparations for Muharram by the additional chief secretary for the interior.

    The Regional Police Officers and Divisional Commissioners who were all present via video link gave a presentation to the audience on the security measures put in place in their respective divisions.

    Punjab Minister Raja Basharat instructed Commissioners and Regional Police Officers to personally inspect the security measures on the procession routes. He recommended adding more CCTV cameras to the procession’s established pathways.

    The provincial ministers will also visit various regions to examine the security measures, as will the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Law and Order.

  • Sindh police on high alert to avoid thefts

    Sindh police on high alert to avoid thefts

    In order to avoid thefts, purse snatchings, and other street crimes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Sindh Inspector General Gulam Nabi Memon has placed the police of every precinct on the routes leading to Super Highway Cattle Market on high alert.

    The decision was made knowing that sellers and buyers of sacrificial animals both carry large sums of cash in their pockets, making them targets for thieves.

    In this regard, the chief of Sindh’s police presided over a conference to go over in detail the security measures related to Eid-ul-Azha.

    Memon stated that it is important to ensure the execution of security measures and other choices pertaining to the contingency plan for Eid-ul-Azha.

    He gave the order that police officers assigned to district-level security duty receive a thorough briefing.

    According to him, security at imam bargahs, mosques, animal sacrifice sites, and the main thoroughfares of the cattle market and surrounding regions should be made extremely strong and extraordinary.

    The IG stated that it is important to guarantee that the code of conduct on animal sacrifice is followed, and that in doing so, registered organisations, animal welfare organisations, and other stakeholders should be given the benefit of the doubt.

    A further directive from the IG Sindh was to maintain passenger safety on all Sindhi highways and to improve communication between the police in all districts and the relevant highway and motorway authorities.

    Officials were instructed to coordinate police picketing and patrols on highways, roads, and other designated locations while conducting checking and surveillance on Sindh’s inbound and departure routes as well as video recording.