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India Today
21-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
India hit Pak N-warheads depot Kirana Hills during Op Sindoor, claims OSINT expert
There is satellite imagery to suggest that India hit Pakistan's Kirana Hills, one of the storehouses of the country's nuclear warheads, according to renowned OSINT expert Damien Symon. However, replying to a query, Symon suggested that the image indicates it was a warning strike without any subterranean impact or the mini-war between India and Pakistan in May, India's retaliatory strikes, including those at Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, made Islamabad call for a Indian military rejected that it had targeted Kirana Hills in Sargoda district of Pakistan's Punjab province. It is believed that reinforced caves within the mountains are one of the sites of where the Pakistani military stores its nuclear warhead."We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there. I did not brief in my briefing yesterday," said Air Marshal AK Bharti on May 12 responding to a question from a journalist during a tri-services Symon shared Google Earth an image of Sargodha region of Pakistan that he claimed were from updated June 2025, saying that it showed the "impact location of India's strike on Kirana Hills in May 2025". Symon is a geo-intelligence researcher and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) expert known for his work at The Intel is widely recognised for analysing satellite imagery and publicly available data to verify or debunk claims related to conflict zones, particularly in the India-Pakistan region."Imagery update from Google Earth of the Sargodha region, Pakistan, captured in June 2025, shows -1 - the impact location of India's strike on Kirana Hills in May 2025. 2 - repaired runways at Sargodha airbase post India's strikes in May 2025," Symon posted on X on July 18.A user asked Symon if the scar indicated it was a deep strike."No, this along with earlier imagery, neither indicate any subterranean impact or penetration, it's just one side of a hill with nothing of value in its immediate vicinity, must've been a warning strike on India's part, tunnels etc are further away & don't show any damage," replied media was abuzz with chatter on how Kirana Hills might have been hit in Operation Sindoor. Handles have shared images, videos and maps claiming a blast at the Kirana Hills in showed dense plumes of smoke rising from the base of the rugged Kirana Hills. But high-resolution satellite imagery was by India Today's OSINT team placed the smoke near the hills, based on the footage posted on the day of the IS OSINT EXPERT DAMIEN SYMON?Operating under the handle @detresfa on X, Symon has garnered attention for exposing disinformation, such as manipulated images and false claims by Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) during India's Operation Sindoor in May work includes confirming damage to Pakistani military installations, like the Sargodha airbase, and debunking fabricated narratives, such as doctored images of Indian uses tools like LANDSAT, KawaSpace, and MazarVision imagery to provide verifiable evidence, contributing to discussions on digital disinformation and military KIRANA HILLS HIT UNDER OPERATION SINDOOR?While the Mushaf airbase in Sargodha was confirmed as one of India's missile targets, Air Marshal Bharti denied reports of any strike on the facility at Kirana two sites are barely seven kilometres carried out strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) on May 7 after Pakistani terrorists on April 22 killed 26 people in Kashmir's Pakistan targeted Indian military and civilian sites, India struck 11 military sites deep inside Pakistan, using precision targets included critical airbases in Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot, according to India's Ministry of attack on Nur Khan military base near Rawalpindi, the headquarters of Pakistan's military establishment, is the most strike on Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, near Rawalpindi, was significant as it lies in close proximity to the headquarters of the Strategic Plans Division, the body overseeing Pakistan's nuclear New York Times quoted a former US official familiar with Pakistan's nuclear programme, noting, "Pakistan's deepest fear is of its nuclear command authority being decapitated. The missile strike on Nur Khan could have been interpreted... as a warning that India could do just that."Satellite imagery also indicated a strike on the runway of Mushaf airbase in Sargodha with loitering munitions. This base is reportedly linked to underground nuclear storage sites beneath the Kirana strikes at Nur Khan and Sargodha were meant to indicate India's capability to neutralise Pakistan's nuclear arsenal in case of further escalation in the called Pakistan's nuclear bluff with its attack during Op target sites and videos on social media gave a boost to the buzz that Kirana Hills had been hit in an indicative attack, revealing India's strike capability. Though Indian military denied there was any attack, OSINT expert Damien Symon has now claimed that Google Earth images, updated in June, indicate Kirana Hills in Sargodha region were hit in a "warnig strike".- EndsMust Watch
India Today
10-07-2025
- India Today
Filmed, Streamed, Monetised: How Stalkers Exploit Women on Street
A man in Bengaluru was recently arrested after a person flagged an Instagram page that shared videos of women secretly filmed in public spaces like Church Street and Koramangala. This disturbing trend—known as creepshots—is gaining ground in the toxic corners of social man, who ran the account under the handle Indianwalk, had posted a video of a student unknowingly filmed on Church Street. After the video went viral, the woman began receiving vulgar messages on social Today's Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) team identified at least 23 other accounts on YouTube and Instagram where content creators shifted to secretly filming women in public after their regular content failed to attract viewers. Take, for example, the YouTube account BiOdiaGuy (Bengaluru in Odia Guy), which has 1.7K subscribers and 221 videos. What's disturbing is that his earlier travel videos to temples across India failed to attract much attention from Konark Temple to Banashankari and Jagannath, he toured at least nine temples across Odisha, Bhubaneswar, and Bengaluru—but managed to get only a few hundred views. Yet, a random video of nightlife in Koramangala easily fetched 1,500 views. There was no turning back after that. His content grew increasingly vulgar in nature—tapping women on Church Street, MG Road, and Koramangala, often in pubs, on busy streets, and during festivals like Holi. He frequently filmed unsuspecting couples in banner images often feature unrelated women in seemingly provocative poses. But the real problem is that the footage had been captured without their consent or isn't a one-off case. The internet is filled with videos of women filmed without their consent in places like the Delhi Metro, Bengaluru pubs, and Chandigarh markets. Most of the time, they're just shopping, eating, or walking around—completely unaware. Though they're fully clothed, the videos often focus on their backsides or chests. Another example is the Instagram handle Dilbar Jaani, which has over 37.9K followers. His initial videos, singing along to popular tracks, failed to gain much traction. But soon, his feed was filled with dozens of videos of women on Bengaluru streets, filmed in typical street-stalk stations, widely used by women for daily commutes, have become hunting grounds for creators of creepshots in Delhi and Bengaluru. But the gaze doesn't stop there. From pubs to parties, markets to eateries—no place is for saleadvertisementHundreds of women—from schoolgirls in uniform to college students and office-goers—filmed without consent, and sold as content. These videos are only accessible to the members of the channels who pay a subscription moments are bundled into bulk videos, sold on YouTube for as little as Rs 199 a month. One particular channel has over 11,000 followers and more than 100 such clips priced at Rs 199 to Rs 799 per month a world wired with cameras—where every hand holds a lens and every corner hides a surveillance cam—can we really expect even our fully-clothed selves in public to remain private?- EndsMust Watch
India Today
08-07-2025
- India Today
Beware: This traffic challan message can drain your bank account
The online vehicle services app, mParivahan, used primarily for e-challan management, has been at the centre of attention. The scam came to light when a Mumbai-based professional lost money through a cloned version of the mParivahan app and posted about the incident on wasn't an isolated case—nor is it the only government app being cloned by cybercriminals. Similar incidents of financial loss linked to government applications have been widely reported. To dig deeper, India Today's Open Source Intelligence(OSINT) team scoured the web for the rogue APK(Android Package Kit) file responsible for duping users and conducted a detailed malware scam starts with a WhatsApp message from an Indian number, carrying a fake APK file and the victim's vehicle number to make it look legit. Once installed, the app asks for access to contacts, call logs, and messages—giving hackers full access to your data. Moments later, unauthorised transactions take place—without warning or how does your critical data end up in a scammer's hand, like it's no big deal?India Today downloaded the infected app and ran a detailed malware analysis. The APK file was uploaded to the malware scanning platform VirusTotal, which flagged trojans like and RewardSteal—malware designed to steal sensitive user fake apk file is a near-identical clone of the official mParivahan app—with subtle tweaks that fool you into granting access to phone functions like calls and SMS. Behind the scenes, it retrieves your private data and silently transmits it to scammers via hidden Telegram bots. In an earlier report, India Today exposed the 'Vahan Parivahan' APK, which intercepted OTPs to enable fraudulent e-commerce transactions. The latest clone, however, shows a more advanced threat profile—designed to harvest Aadhaar credentials and banking information. It also exploits device permissions to access local files and storage, significantly heightening the risk of sensitive data infected, the device grants attackers access to SMS, contacts, and storage. The malware uses fake login screens, intercepts OTPs, and extracts sensitive files like Aadhaar documents—silently sending all data via hidden Telegram bots, enabling swift financial frauds. Attackers can monitor all pre-installed banking and payment apps on the infected scam's reach goes beyond the initial victim. By hijacking chats and OTPs, cybercriminals can target victims' family and contacts, attempting to steal their money too. This isn't merely a theoretical risk — in a recent case in Bengaluru, both the victim and his wife were targeted with attempted unauthorised transactions.A US-based mobile security firm, Zimperium, earlier reported a similar trend where malware is spread via WhatsApp as APK files disguised as legitimate government or banking apps. Once installed, these fake apps trick users into revealing sensitive financial and personal zLabs research team discovered nearly 900 malware samples primarily targeting Indian customers using net banking and mobile banking analysis also revealed shared code structures, user interface elements, and app logos, suggesting a coordinated effort by a single threat actor targeting mobile devices running the Android also found 222 exposed firebase storage buckets holding 2.5GB of stolen personal and financial data, highlighting the extensive scale of this threat.- Ends
Hans India
06-07-2025
- Hans India
Developing technical expertise for geopolitical analysis for B.Tech professionals
In an era characterised by global uncertainty and strategic competition, developing technical expertise in geopolitical analysis has become an essential skill for students and professionals. This expertise enables individuals to understand, predict, and influence the intricate interplay of geography, politics, economics, and technology. Armed with the right tools and frameworks, technical experts can produce accurate, data-driven insights that inform national strategies, corporate decisions, and global policy initiatives. Below is a structured outline on how to build this expertise. Understanding geopolitical fundamentals Before acquiring technical skills, analysts must first establish a solid foundation in geopolitical theory. This includes understanding how geography, history, culture, and political motives shape international interactions. Key concepts such as the balance of power, regional hegemony, and strategic geography provide essential context for interpreting events and predicting future developments. Without this baseline knowledge, technical analysis can lack relevance and depth. Mastering qualitative and quantitative analytical methods .Effective geopolitical analysis integrates both qualitative and quantitative methods: -Qualitative Techniques:Tools such as stakeholder mapping, scenario planning, discourse analysis, and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis help uncover political motives and cultural dynamics that are not quantifiable. -Quantitative Techniques:Methods like statistical modelling, regression analysis, cluster analysis, and geospatial analytics enable data-driven assessments of risk and opportunity. Software such as R is commonly used for these applications, allowing analysts to process complex data and uncover hidden patterns. Combining these approaches facilitates comprehensive analysis and enhances predictive accuracy. Proficiency in Specialised Tools and Technologies Geopolitical analysts must be proficient in a variety of digital tools that enable them to gather, process, and interpret data: -Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualise spatial relationships and analyse territorial dynamics, especially in conflict zones and resource disputes. -Data Analytics and Visualisation Tools, often powered by AI, assist in synthesising vast amounts of information from global media, sentiment analysis, and social trends. -Simulation and modelling software are critical for scenario-based planning, providing insights into potential outcomes under various conditions. -Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools assist in gathering real-time information from publicly accessible sources, such as social media, satellite imagery, and government reports, offering a low-cost, high-value stream of intelligence. Developing structured analytical frameworks A systematic approach to problem-solving is crucial. Analysts must define the scope of their inquiry, identify relevant variables, gather and validate data, and synthesise findings into clear, actionable insights. Utilising structured frameworks ensures consistency, transparency, and replicability in geopolitical evaluations—traits that are essential for credibility and strategic utility. Continuous learning and adaptability The geopolitical landscape shifts rapidly. Analysts must stay informed about global developments, adopt interdisciplinary perspectives, and continuously upskill through professional courses, certifications, and workshops. Fields such as economics, environmental science, and cultural studies provide new perspectives for examining geopolitical issues more comprehensively. Effective communication of insights Technical analysis must be coupled with clear and persuasive communication. Analysts should be able to translate complex data into narratives that resonate with policymakers, business executives, and the public. Strong skills in report writing, presentations, and data visualisation are vital to ensure that insights drive decisions and actions.
India.com
03-07-2025
- Science
- India.com
Chinese ‘Spy' Vessel Conducts 51-Day Surveillance Mission In Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea: OSINT Expert
A Chinese research vessel suspected to be a surveillance ship concluded a 51-day deployment in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the Arabian Sea, raising renewed concerns in India about China's growing maritime activities in the region. The Chinese vessel's activity map has been released by a prominent Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) expert, Damien Symon on X. Notably, Simon had earlier shared on X details of damages done to Pakistani airbases by India during Operation Sindoor. What Expert Revealed According to Damien Symon, the vessel 'Da Yang Yi Hao' entered the Indian Ocean on May 14, 2025, and was tracked operating extensively in the western Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea, before exiting the region on July 3. 'The Chinese research vessel 'Da Yang Yi Hao' appears to have concluded its latest deployment to the Indian Ocean Region—arriving in May 2025, the ship was observed operating in the western IOR, Arabian Sea, surveying seafloor ridges and underwater features,' Symon posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The Chinese research vessel 'Da Yang Yi Hao' appears to have concluded its latest deployment to the Indian Ocean Region - arriving in May 2025, the ship was observed operating in the western IOR, Arabian Sea, surveying seafloor ridges/underwater features — Damien Symon (@detresfa_) July 3, 2025 Research Vessel Or Spy Ship? While officially labelled as a scientific research vessel, Indian defence analysts and strategic experts have long argued that such ships are frequently deployed by China to conduct military reconnaissance under the guise of oceanographic surveys. An Indian Navy official acknowledged that while Chinese research vessels are permitted to operate in international waters, their ability to track and collect electronic signals raises security concerns—particularly when they operate in proximity to strategically sensitive areas. Concern Within India The presence of Chinese vessels in the Indian Ocean has become increasingly routine in recent years, but their activities—especially in sensitive maritime zones such as the Arabian Sea—have alarmed Indian authorities. Defence analysts have claimed that these so-called research missions are often fronts for underwater mapping and surveillance activities. These kinds of data can be used to support submarine operations or strategic deployments. The Indian Navy continues to monitor the movement of foreign vessels in the IOR through air and sea surveillance, with an emphasis on detecting dual-use platforms that may threaten India's maritime interests.
