Cybercriminals are exploiting trust in India’s traffic enforcement systems by using fake e-Challan portals to steal financial data from vehicle owners. The campaign relies on phishing websites that closely mimic official government platforms.
Researchers at Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs say the operation marks a shift away from malware towards phishing-based deception delivered through web browsers. More than 36 fraudulent websites have been linked to the campaign, which targets users across India through SMS messages.
Victims receive alerts claiming unpaid traffic fines, often accompanied by warnings of licence suspension or legal action. The messages include links directing users to fake portals displaying fabricated violations and small penalty amounts, with no connection to government databases.
The sites restrict payments to credit and debit cards, prompting users to enter full card details. Investigators found that repeated payment attempts allow attackers to collect multiple sets of sensitive information from a single victim.
Researchers say the infrastructure is shared with broader phishing schemes that impersonate courier services, banks, and transportation platforms. Security experts advise users to verify fines only through official websites and to avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages.
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Authorities in France are responding to a significant cyber incident after a pro-Russian hacker group, Noname057, claimed responsibility for a distributed denial-of-service attack on the national postal service, La Poste.
The attack began on 22 December and forced core computer systems offline, delaying parcel deliveries during the busy Christmas period instead of allowing normal operations to continue.
According to reports, standard letter delivery was not affected. However, postal staff lost the ability to track parcels, and customers experienced disruptions when using online payment services connected to La Banque Postale.
Recovery work was still underway several days later, underscoring the increasing reliance of critical services on uninterrupted digital infrastructure.
Noname057 has previously been linked to cyberattacks across Europe, mainly targeting Ukraine and countries seen as supportive of Kyiv instead of neutral states.
Europol led a significant operation against the group earlier in the year, with the US Department of Justice also involved, highlighting growing international coordination against cross-border cybercrime.
The incident has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of essential logistics networks and public-facing services to coordinated cyber disruption. European authorities continue to assess long-term resilience measures to protect citizens and core services from future attacks.
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Video gaming has become one of Europe’s most prominent entertainment industries, surpassing a niche hobby, with over half the population regularly engaging in it.
As the sector grows, the EU lawmakers are increasingly worried about addictive game design and manipulative features that push players to spend more time and money online.
Much of the concern focuses on loot boxes, where players pay for random digital rewards that resemble gambling mechanics. Studies and parliamentary reports warn that children may be particularly vulnerable, with some lawmakers calling for outright bans on paid loot boxes and premium in-game currencies.
The European Commission is examining how far design choices contribute to digital addiction and whether games are exploiting behavioural weaknesses rather than offering fair entertainment.
Officials say the risk is higher for minors, who may not fully understand how engagement-driven systems are engineered.
The upcoming Digital Fairness Act aims to strengthen consumer protection across online services, rather than leaving families to navigate the risks alone. However, as negotiations continue, the debate over how tightly gaming should be regulated is only just beginning.
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Regulators worldwide are being urged to adopt stronger oversight frameworks for AI in capital markets after an IMF technical note warned that rapid AI adoption could reshape securities trading while increasing systemic risk.
AI brings major efficiency gains in asset management and high-frequency trading instead of slower, human-led processes, yet opacity, market volatility, cyber threats and model concentration remain significant concerns.
The IMF warns that AI could create powerful data oligopolies where only a few firms can train the strongest models, while autonomous trading agents may unintentionally collude by widening spreads without explicit coordination.
Retail investors also face rising exposure to AI washing, where financial firms exaggerate or misrepresent AI capability, making transparency, accountability and human-in-the-loop review essential safeguards.
Supervisory authorities are encouraged to scale their own AI capacity through SupTech tools for automated surveillance and social-media sentiment monitoring.
The note highlights India as a key case study, given the dominance of algorithmic trading and SEBI’s early reporting requirements for AI and machine learning. The IMF also points to the National Stock Exchange’s use of AI in fraud detection as an emerging-market model for resilient monitoring infrastructure.
The report underlines the need for regulators to prepare for AI-driven market shocks, strengthen governance obligations on regulated entities and build specialist teams capable of understanding model risk instead of reacting only after misconduct or misinformation harms investors.
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Across Christmas tree farms, drones and AI are beginning to replace manual counting and field inspections.
Growers in Denmark and North Carolina are now mapping plantations using AI-driven image analysis instead of relying on workers walking the fields for days.
Systems can recognise and measure each tree, give it a digital ID and track health and growth over time, helping farmers plan harvests and sales more accurately.
The technology is proving particularly valuable in large or difficult terrain. Some plantations in North Carolina sit on steep slopes where machinery and people face higher risks, so farmers are turning to laser-scanning drones and heavy-duty robotic mowers instead of traditional equipment.
Experts say the move saves time, improves safety and reduces labour needs, while accuracy rates can reach as high as 98 percent.
Adoption still depends on cost, aviation rules and staff training, so smaller farms may struggle to keep pace. Yet interest continues to rise as equipment becomes cheaper and growers grow more comfortable with digital tools.
Many industry specialists now see AI-enabled drones as everyday agricultural equipment rather than experimental gadgets.
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Apple has paused previously announced plans for Texas after a federal judge blocked a new age-verification law for app stores. The company said it will continue to monitor the legal process while keeping certain developer tools available for testing.
The law, known as the App Store Accountability Act, would have required app stores to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for minors. It also mandated that age data be shared with app developers, a provision criticised by technology companies on privacy grounds.
A US judge halted enforcement of the law, citing First Amendment concerns, ahead of its planned January rollout. Texas officials said they intend to appeal the decision, signalling that the legal dispute is likely to continue.
Apple had announced new requirements to comply with the law, including mandatory Family Sharing for users under 18 and renewed parental consent following significant app updates. Those plans are now on hold following the ruling.
Apple said its age-assurance tools remain available globally, while reiterating concerns that broad data collection could undermine user privacy. Similar laws are expected to take effect in other US states next year.
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The US administration is criticising foreign digital regulations affecting major online platforms while avoiding trade measures that could disrupt the US economy. Officials say the rules disproportionately impact American technology companies.
US officials have paused or cancelled trade discussions with the UK, the EU, and South Korea. Current negotiations are focused on rolling back digital taxes, privacy rules, and platform regulations that Washington views as unfair barriers to US firms.
US administration officials describe the moves as a negotiating tactic rather than an escalation toward tariffs. While trade investigations into digital practices have been raised as a possibility, officials have stressed that the goal remains a negotiated outcome rather than a renewed trade conflict.
Technology companies have pressed for firmer action, though some industry figures warn that aggressive retaliation could trigger a wider digital trade war. Officials acknowledge that prolonged disputes with major partners could ultimately harm both US firms and global markets.
Despite rhetorical escalation and targeted threats against European companies, the US administration has so far avoided dismantling existing trade agreements. Analysts say mounting pressure may soon force Washington to choose between compromise and more concrete enforcement measures.
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The US State Department has imposed a visa ban on former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and four other individuals, citing opposition to European regulation of social media platforms. The US visa ban reflects growing tensions between Washington and Brussels over digital governance and free expression.
US officials said the visa ban targets figures linked to organisations involved in content moderation and disinformation research. Those named include representatives from HateAid, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, and the Global Disinformation Index, alongside Breton.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the individuals of pressuring US-based platforms to restrict certain viewpoints. A senior State Department official described Breton as a central figure behind the EU’s Digital Services Act, a law that sets obligations for large online platforms operating in Europe.
Breton rejected the US visa ban, calling it a witch hunt and denying allegations of censorship. European organisations affected by the decision criticised the move as unlawful and authoritarian, while the European Commission said it had sought clarification from US authorities.
France and the European Commission condemned the visa ban and warned of a possible response. EU officials said European digital rules are applied uniformly and are intended to support a safe, competitive online environment.
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Users of popular AI chatbots are generating bikini deepfakes by manipulating photos of fully clothed women, often without consent. Online discussions show how generative AI tools can be misused to create sexually suggestive deepfakes from ordinary images, raising concerns about image-based abuse.
A now-deleted Reddit thread shared prompts for using Google’s Gemini to alter clothing in photographs. One post asked for a woman’s traditional dress to be changed to a bikini. Reddit removed the content and later banned the subreddit over deepfake-related harassment.
Researchers and digital rights advocates warn that nonconsensual deepfakes remain a persistent form of online harassment. Millions of users have visited AI-powered websites designed to undress people in photos. The trend reflects growing harm enabled by increasingly realistic image generation tools.
Most mainstream AI chatbots prohibit the creation of explicit images and apply safeguards to prevent abuse. However, recent advances in image-editing models have made it easier for users to bypass guardrails using simple prompts, according to limited testing and expert assessments.
Technology companies say their policies ban altering a person’s likeness without consent, with penalties including account suspensions. Legal experts argue that deepfakes involving sexualised imagery represent a core risk of generative AI and that accountability must extend to both users and platforms.
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AI-powered tools are adding new features to long-running Santa Tracker services used by families on Christmas Eve. Platforms run by NORAD and Google allow users to follow Father Christmas’s journey through their Santa Tracker tools, which also introduce interactive and personalised digital experiences.
NORAD’s Santa Tracker, first launched in 1955, now features games, videos, music, and stories in addition to its live tracking map. This year, the service introduced AI-powered features that generate elf-style avatars, create toy ideas, and produce personalised holiday stories for families.
The Santa Tracker presents Santa’s journey on a 3D globe built using open-source mapping technology and satellite imagery. Users can also watch short videos on Santa Cam, featuring Santa travelling to destinations around the world.
Google’s rendition offers similar features, including a live map, estimated arrival times, and interactive activities available throughout December. Santa’s Village includes games, animations, and beginner-friendly coding activities designed for children.
Google Assistant introduces a voice-based experience to its service, enabling users to ask about Santa’s location or receive updates from the North Pole. Both platforms aim to blend tradition with digital tools to create a seamless and engaging holiday experience.
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