Solution for OTP frauds: IIT Mandi develops authentication system based on behaviour patterns
New Delhi (PTI): Do the rising number of OTP frauds and password hacking instances concern you? Researchers at IIT Mandi have developed a revolutionary system which will capture unique user biometric-based behaviour patterns for secure authentication, eliminating the use of conventional methods.
The system called "adapID" has been developed in collaboration with Deep Algorithms with Amit Shukla from the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi and J P Mishra from Deep Algorithms, spearheading the development of the tool -- a behaviour biometric-based authentication system leveraging haptics data.
Deep Algorithms is an IIT Mandi and IIT Kanpur incubated company with its head office in Hyderabad, Research and Development office in IIT Mandi and partner office in the USA.
The system has already been granted a patent and has been deployed at a bank and a forensic company. The team is currently in talks with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to use it for authentication in government schemes.
Those involved in the development of the system explained that in today's digitally driven landscape, organisations encounter the daunting challenge of safeguarding sensitive data against relentless cyber threats while ensuring a seamless user experience.
"Conventional authentication methods relying on passwords and static security measures prove inadequate, leaving organisations susceptible to breaches and burdening users with cumbersome access processes.
"The escalating instances of cyber fraud, notably attributed to OTP compromises, have spurred organisations to seek robust solutions to fortify against unauthorised access and data breaches," Shukla told PTI.
"Traditional authentication methods, dependent on passwords and OTPs, increasingly succumb to phishing attacks and brute force breaches, thereby compromising security and user satisfaction. adapID will herald a paradigm shift in secure authentication by harnessing the potency of behavioural and physiological biometrics, offering unparalleled security measures," he added.
Shukla explained that the innovative approach will obviate the necessity for passwords and OTPs, streamlining user access processes while bolstering defences against emerging threats.
"The adapID AI adaptive authentication integrates behavioural and physiological biometrics, presenting a multi-layered authentication framework that dynamically adapts to evolving user behaviour. This password-less authentication system will employ advanced technology, encompassing invisible keyboard features and decentralised web protocols, to establish a novel standard in secure authentication," he said.
"Our groundbreaking behaviour biometric-based system will redefine secure authentication, effectively eliminating the reliance on passwords and introducing seamless continuous authentication.
"With adapID, we not only aim to revolutionise security protocols but also empower organisations to navigate the complexities of the digital age with unwavering confidence," he said.
Deep Algorithms' J P Mishra explained that adapID addresses an array of cyber threats, including fraud, unauthorised access and phishing attacks, spanning across industries such as financial services, government, technology and critical infrastructure.
"By furnishing the most robust form of authentication and discerning anomalies in user behaviour, adapID equips organisations with a dynamic and adaptive security posture. As organisations navigate the intricate landscape of cybersecurity threats, adapID will emerge as a pioneering solution, presenting a dynamic, adaptive and secure authentication framework.
"With its innovative integration of behavioural biometrics and continuous authentication, the innovation will establish a new benchmark in secure authentication, empowering organisations to safeguard sensitive data," Mishra said.
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
