Pune-based global hacker Amit Tiwari arrested

Saturday, Jan 25, 2014

Pune, - Amit Vikram Tiwari, an engineering dropout and global hacker, is in the CBI net. 
He is part of a global network of hackers and was arrested on Friday from Pune following a tip-off from the FBI. Tiwari was flown to New Delhi in the evening.

This is for the first time that a global network of cyber hackers has been traced to India. Investigating agencies of China, Romania and the United States collaborated with the CBI to pounce upon the 32-year-old professional hacker who, a source said, had compromised more than 1,000 internet accounts around the world.

The CBI claims that Tiwari’s hacking syndicate has been active in India since 2011, and that he has confessed to hacking 950 foreign email accounts besides 171 in India. Son of an Indian Army colonel, Tiwari was arrested from his house in Pune and taken to New Delhi on a transit-remand for further questioning.

The CBI tracked down Tiwari after the FBI passed on information on the global network of cyber hackers. Simultaneous raids were conducted in Mumbai and Ghaziabad.

This is not the first time Tiwari has been arrested. In 2003, he was arrested by the Mumbai police for defrauding a Mumbai-based credit card processing company of nearly Rs9 lakh when he was only 21 and pursuing a degree in engineering in Pune. At that time, he was operating a website designing services start-up www.mafiaz.com. During investigation, police found several fictitious names of clients and bank account numbers in his computer.

“Though he has claimed to have hacked into the email accounts of over 900 people globally, the kind of clientele whom he was serving is still to be established. From identify theft to corporate rivalry, he was serving all types of clients,” a CBI officer said. But he hacked only email accounts and not bank accounts. 

CBI claimed that he was operating through two websites — www.hirehacker.net and www.anonymity.com — and was charging between $250-500 for his service. He was paid via Western Union money transfer and Paypal. He used to send the money to his father and girlfriend.

“As part of an international law enforcement operation, the CBI has registered two cases against suspected operators of hacking websites. Similar operations are being conducted in Romania, China and the US. It is suspected that the number of email accounts hacked may be much larger once the data is collected and the accused are interrogated,” a CBI officer said.

Tiwari’s clientele included jilted lovers and corporate entities. After registering the cases, the CBI carried out searches in two locations in Mumbai and one each in Pune and Ghaziabad for violations of various sections of the IT Act and section 379 of the IPC.

Another CBI officer said: “Tiwari lives with his girlfriend, who is an aspirant model in the city. He leads a luxurious lifestyle and often change his homes. He is an expert in hacking bank details and skimming.”

Who is Amit Tiwari?
An engineering dropout from Pune and a global hacker, he is the son of an Indian Army colonel. The Mumbai police arrested him in 2003 for defrauding a Mumbai-based credit card processing company of nearly Rs9 lakh. 

What is hacking?
Hacking is explained in section 43 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. It includes unauthorised access, download, introducing virus, disrupting or damaging computers of others.

Sections applicable in hacking
Hacking is punishable under section 66 read with section 43 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Punishment/Fine 
The person can be punished with up to three years imprisonment or fine up to Rs5 lakh or both.

Who is his clientele?
From jilted lovers to corporate entities, he catered to everyone willing to pay his fees ($250-500). He operated through two websites — www.hirehacker.net and www.anonymity.com. He is accused of hacking into the email accounts of more than 900 people globally. He used to be paid via Western Union money transfer and Paypal.

His modus operandi
Customers who wanted unauthorised access to email accounts used to submit particulars of those accounts on the websites run by Tiwari. Upon receipt of the order as well as the email addresses, the website operators used to gain access to such email accounts and send a proof of such access to the customers. On receiving payment from customers, these website operators shared the password with them, according to the CBI.

How Apple and Google Went to War and Started a Media Revolution

The first iPhone Steve Jobs showed off back in 2007, at the annual Macworld convention, was a barely working prototype. In fact, the device was so buggy and glitch-prone that Apple’s engineers didn’t believe Jobs could make it through his onstage demonstration without suffering an embarrassing crash. The demo iPhone that Jobs carried in his jeans pocket was nearly incapable of holding a wireless signal—so much so that engineers preprogrammed the indicator to always show five bars (full strength) and set up a portable cell tower backstage. There was good reason for not allowing the assembled tech scribes to actually touch one of the “revolutionary” new devices.

Jobs, of course, made it through the unveiling with characteristic aplomb. And the iPhone went on to become the yardstick by which every other mobile device is measured. But its success also made enemies of former friends. Relying on interviews with key players and former employees, Vogelstein painstakingly recounts how Apple and Google went from being close partners in the iPhone’s launch (the first iPhone prominently featured Google’s search engine and its Maps application) to bitter rivals. It turns out that Google, whose former CEO was then sitting on Apple’s board, had been secretly working on its Android mobile software, even as the iPhone was in development. That, apparently, came as a surprise to the Google employees who were working on iPhone-destined software apps, and to Jobs himself. In a biography released after his death, Jobs described Google’s actions as “grand theft” and vowed to “go thermonuclear” on the search giant, kicking off a flurry of patent-infringement lawsuits against Android handset makers.

Apple’s response was the iPad. If Google planned to put its software on every non-Apple phone, Apple would simply create more devices free from Google’s reach. The iPad also opened up new doors. For the first time, consumers had a mobile device that made it easy to read books and magazines and watch movies and television shows. Increasingly, Vogelstein argues, Apple and Google are no longer fighting over smartphones and tablets. It’s a battle for the future of all media.

Suicide bomb attack on Kabul restaurant 'kills 14'

• Two Canadians killed in Kabul attack 
• Lebanese owner died defending Kabul restaurant

At least 14 people have been killed in a suicide bomb and gun attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in the Afghan capital, officials say.

Foreigners, including an IMF representative from Lebanon and a Briton, were also among those killed in Kabul's Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood.

The area is home to a number of foreign embassies and organisations - the UN said four of its staff were missing.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the Taverna du Liban.

The restaurant is popular with foreign nationals, diplomats and aid workers, and was busy with diners at the time of the attack.

A suicide attacker detonated his explosives outside the gate of the heavily-fortified restaurant, Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said.

Two gunmen then entered the restaurant and started "indiscriminately killing" people inside.

Mr Salangi said four women were among the dead.

The UK Foreign Office (FCO) confirmed that a British national was among those killed in the incident and that it was ready to provide consular assistance to the person's family.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde later said Wabel Abdallah - the head of the fund's Afghanistan office - was among those who died.

"This is tragic news, and we at the fund are all devastated," Ms Lagarde said in a statement.

Abdul Majid, a chef at the restaurant, told AFP news agency that he was sitting with his friends "in the kitchen when an explosion happened and smoke filled the kitchen".

"A man came inside shouting and he started shooting. One of my colleagues was shot and fell down. I ran to the roof and threw myself to the neighbouring property."

Taliban claim

The well-known owner of the restaurant was also among those killed.

The attackers were eventually shot dead by the security forces when they arrived at the scene.

The BBC's Mahfouz Zubaide heard the blast and gunfire from at least two kilometres away. He said the gunfire went on sporadically for about 10 minutes.

Several hours later, UN officials in Kabul said four of its personnel, who may have been in the area at the time, were still unaccounted for.

"The UN is making efforts to clarify the status of its personnel," spokesman Ari Gaitanis told AFP.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had been deliberately targeting foreign officials.

Security continues to be a major concern in Afghanistan. The last remaining contingent of Nato-led forces is due to leave by the end of the year, having handed over security to Afghan forces.

Washington is pushing Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign an agreement which would allow some US troops to stay behind after this year's withdrawal.

The Taliban told the BBC's John Simpson earlier this week that it was now back in control of large areas of Afghanistan and was confident of returning to power after Western troops left.

Our correspondent says it is hard to believe the Taliban could make a comeback as things stand, but their takeover of Kabul in 1996 was unexpected, and they could be strengthened if a weak, corrupt president is elected in April.

Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar found dead in Delhi hotel

Sunanda Pushkar

New Delhi, January 17

Sunanda Pushkar, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor's wife, who was upset over an alleged extramarital affair between her husband and a Pakistani journalist, was found dead in a five-star hotel room on Friday.

Pushkar (52) was last seen at 3.30 pm at Hotel Leela Palace in Chanakyapuri. Police sources said she was found dead in her suite No. 345 around 8.30 pm.

Tharoor's personal secretary Abhinav Kumar told the media that the body was first spotted by the minister. Tharoor, who was away for the AICC session, returned around 8:30 pm and found the door of her room locked from inside. The door was later opened and her body was found on the bed, sources said.

Tharoor called up Kumar who informed the police which reached the hotel at 9.15 pm. "She was in her night clothes and had a blanket on her. There were no injury marks on the body," Kumar said. The hotel doctors were present in the room, he said. Kumar said there was no sign of foul play, but whether it was a natural death or not couldn't be said now. "We don't know the cause of death," he said.

Police sources said they suspected it to be a case of suicide. Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said inquest proceedings were on by the area sub-divisional magistrate. Any death within seven years of marriage is legally required to be investigated by the SDM.

The police questioned the hotel staff and checked the CCTV footage of the lobby of the third floor where Pushkar was staying. Police sources said Pushkar’s call detailwere also being checked. A team of forensic experts reached the hotel around 10:30 pm. The police also searched the suite thoroughly to see whether Pushkar had used any medicine. Kumar told mediapersons at the hotel that Tharoor and Pushkar were staying in the suite since Thursday as “some painting work” was on at their home.

The minister was away throughout the day in the AICC, he said. Kumar said Pushkar was unwell yesterday. Pushkar and Tharoor were at the centre of a controversy over the past two days when reports emerged that she was upset over reported text and tweets between her husband and Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar.

The couple reportedly fought over the alleged affair which came to light when Tharoor claimed his twitter handle was hacked. He made the declaration after purported controversial tweets were posted from his accounts and were believed to be addressed to the Pakistan-based journalist.

Pushkar had told some newspapers that she was considering divorce from Tharoor. Mehr denied Pushkar's allegations. Meanwhile, PM Manmohan Singh on Friday night spoke to Union Minister Shashi Tharoor and mourned his wife’s death.

Canada sheds nearly 46,000 jobs; unemployment rate rises

Above: 2013 ended with a thud for the Canadian economy, as nearly 46,000 jobs disappeared. The news comes as the Loonie sinks to its lowest level since 2009. 

OTTAWA – The Canadian economy lost a surprising 45,900 jobs in December to finish the weakest year of job growth since 2009, raising concerns about how the economy will fare into 2014.

The unemployment rate rose to 7.2 per cent for the final month of the year, compared with 6.9 per cent in November.

READ MORE: The Canadian jobs picture in one handy graphic

BMO Capital Markets chief economist Doug Porter said the dismal jobs data will add pressure to the loonie and stoke chatter about the possibility of a interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada.

The loonie fell half a cent to 91.65 cents US, its lowest level since mid-2009, following the jobs report Friday.

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz has suggested that the central bank’s next policy move is just as likely to be a cut in interest rates as a hike.

READ MORE: 5 occupations in high demand amid Canada’s surprising job losses

However Porter suggested it will likely take more than one month of disappointing job growth to trigger a rate cut.

“We continue to believe the bank will need to see an extended period of economic underperformance and even lower inflation before they would even consider easing,” he said.

READ MORE: Sun seekers may face new surcharge as loonie declines

The December drop, the biggest since March 2013, was led by a decline in full-time jobs, which fell by roughly 60,000. That loss was offset in part by a gain of 14,200 part-time jobs.

Economists had expected the economy to add 14,600 jobs and the unemployment rate to hold steady at 6.9 per cent, according to estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters.

The weaker than expected report in Canada came as the U.S. also released disappointing job growth numbers.

READ MORE: Skills shortage causing anxiety for Canadian businesses

The country’s biggest trading partner added just 74,000 jobs in December after averaging 214,000 in the previous four months. The U.S. Labor Department also said Friday that the unemployment rate fell to 6.7 per cent from seven per cent in November as many Americans stopped looking for jobs.

The December jobs report capped a week of generally soft Canadian economic data. Statistics Canada reported earlier this week that Canada’s trade deficit edged higher in November as imports inched up and exports stalled.

CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld noted the jobs numbers are volatile month to month, but said the December results were decidedly ugly.

“We are getting less surprised by surprises in this survey, which has had quite a lot of volatility in the past year or so, but obviously it is a disappointment in both Canada and the U.S.,” Shenfeld said.

However, Shenfeld noted that the fourth quarter started out with a fair bit of bit of momentum.

“Because we got off to a good start, the fourth quarter still looks reasonably healthy and so the issue really is: do we get a bounce back in January and February to help the first quarter numbers?”

For the month, Ontario and Alberta led the provinces lower with losses of 39,000 and 12,000 respectively. British Columbia added 13,000 jobs and Newfoundland and Labrador gained 1,900.

By industry, there were 19,000 fewer jobs in educational services, while the other services category, which includes personal care as well as civic and social organizations, lost 15,000. The agriculture sector lost 9,800 and natural resources lost 8,000.

Health care and social assistance was the only industry to see gains in December as the sector added 22,000 jobs.