Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity - Karnataka (CySecK)

CySecKtober Challenge - Decode the Password 🔐 Think you can crack a code faster than a hacker? Here’s your chance to prove it! CySecK brings you “Decode the Password”, a challenge where you test your cybersecurity instincts by decoding an encrypted password How to Participate: 1. Check the encoded password in today’s post. 2. Use the hint provided to decode it. 3. Comment your decoded answer below. 4. The first 5 correct entries will be featured on our CySecKtober Leaderboard! Get featured, get recognized, and sharpen your cyber skills while you’re at it! Ready to begin? Here’s your first challenge 👇 Password: U3Vuc2hpbmU= Hint: Base64 - a simple yet widely used encoding format. Comment down the decoded password now to get yourself on the leaderboard! #CySecKtober #DecodeThePassword #CySecK #CyberAwareness #InfoSec #CTF #CyberChallenge #KarnatakaInnovation #Cybersecurity #StaySecure

Meet FuzzyLabs at Expand North Star 2025! Fuzzy Labs - a proud startup under H.A.C.K. Cohort 4 by Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity - Karnataka (CySecK) - is showcasing its innovation at one of the world’s largest Startup events! 📍 Find them at Stall No. 83, India Pavilion, Expand North Start Drop by and say hi as they pioneer in next-generation Data Diode technology to secure critical networks - you’ll get to see how they’re shaping the future with their cutting-edge ideas. IT BT Department, Karnataka | Startup Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | FuzzyLabs | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | Manasa R | K.R. VIVEK | Simran Pawar | #ExpandNorthStar2025 #GITEX2025 #FuzzyLabs #CySecK #KarnatakaInnovation #StartupIndia #startupkarnataka #HACKCohort4 #CyberSecurity #InnovationEcosystem #TechStartups

𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂? 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀. Have you ever talked about a product - and then seen an ad for it almost instantly? You’re not alone. Many people suspect that their phones are “listening” to private conversations. But is that true? Let’s break it down. 1. Microphones are technically capable. Yes - apps like Google, Instagram, and Facebook can access your mic if you’ve granted permission. But that doesn’t mean they’re constantly recording everything. 2. The real culprit: data tracking. Most “creepy” ad coincidences happen due to data profiling. Apps track your: • Search history • Location • Social interactions • Online behaviour This data helps advertisers predict what you might talk about next. 3. Background permissions can still be risky. Some apps do listen for voice commands (“Hey Siri”, “OK Google”). If misused, that access can open doors to privacy breaches. 4. What you can do: • Review microphone permissions in your phone settings. • Limit background app access. • Avoid linking too many apps to one account. • Regularly clear cookies and ad preferences. 5. The bottom line: Your phone probably isn’t “spying” on your conversations - but it is collecting massive amounts of data about you. And that’s just as powerful. Let’s stay aware, not paranoid. IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Manasa R | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | K.R. VIVEK | Simran Pawar | #CyberAwareness #PrivacyMatters #DataProtection #CyberSecurity #DigitalSafety #OnlinePrivacy #AwarenessPost #CySecK #CySecKtober

Meet Our Startup at Expand North Star 2025! 🚀 We’re thrilled to see Gauntlet, one of our supported startups, exhibiting at Expand North Star 2025 in Dubai! Catch them live at Hall 10 - B84 and explore how they’re transforming cybersecurity automation for developers and enterprises alike. IT BT Department, Karnataka | Startup Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Gauntlet | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Manasa R | #ExpandNorthStar #GITEX2025 #CySecKStartups #Innovation #Cybersecurity #AIinSecurity #DevSecOps #StartupEcosystem #GauntletSecurity #HACK #CySecK

Stay one step ahead in the digital world! Watch Mr. Kalmesh Joshi, Head - IT Operations, Foundation for Science, Innovation, and Development share key insights on cyber awareness and how small steps can make a big difference in staying secure online. Tune in and take your first step toward becoming #CyberSmart! IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Manasa R | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | K.R. VIVEK | Simran Pawar | #CyberAwareness #CyberSecurity #CySecK #DigitalSafety #InformationSecurity #OnlineSafety #AwarenessMonth #CyberSafe #ThinkBeforeYouClick #StaySecure #Karnataka #CoECybersecurity #CySecKtober

𝗜𝗣 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 CySecK invites you to an insightful webinar on “IP Readiness for Security Startups”, aimed at helping innovators and founders understand the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) in protecting and scaling their security-based solutions. 🗓️ Date: 17th October 2025 🕞 Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM 📍 Mode: Online 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dZwvvEXS 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿: Mr. Nagarjun M G, Patent Agent & Consultant, Office of Intellectual Property & Technology Licensing (IPTeL), IISc Bangalore Mr. Nagarjun brings rich experience in IP management, patent drafting, and technology transfer. He has been instrumental in establishing over 80 IPR Cells across Karnataka and played a key role in KSCST receiving the Special Citation Award under the National IP Awards 2022. Whether you're a security startup, researcher, or innovator, this session will help you navigate the IP landscape, understand how to safeguard your innovations, and leverage IP as a strategic business tool. IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Manasa R | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | Simran Pawar | K.R. VIVEK | #Cybersecurity #Innovation #IntellectualProperty #Startups #IPAwareness #IISc #CySecK #Karnataka #IPReadiness #TechTransfer #SecurityStartups

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗵 (and how to avoid falling for them) Job offers feel exciting - and scammers know that. Over the last few years attackers have weaponized LinkedIn by creating fake recruiter profiles, posting bogus openings, and sending personalised offers that look real - all to steal credentials, money, or install malware. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 1. Attacker creates a convincing recruiter profile (sometimes using AI-generated photos). 2. They message you with an “exclusive” role or interview invite and a link to apply or to sign an offer. That link may be a credential-harvesting page or a download that contains malware. 3. Some scams ask for an “advance fee” for visa processing, background checks, equipment, or travel - victims who pay can lose large sums. Recent news reports show multiple victims paying thousands after getting fake overseas offers. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 A. Credential phish: You receive a DM from “Recruiter X” at a well-known firm with a clickable “Sign contract” link. The page asks you to re-enter your LinkedIn or corporate email + password to “verify.” That page steals your credentials. B. Advance-fee visa scam: A convincing offer for an overseas role asks you to pay “visa & insurance” fees via transfer. The offer letter looks official, but the employer never existed. Several recent Indian victims reported losing ₹50k-₹1.2L this way. C. Malware via onboarding doc: After being “hired,” you’re sent an onboarding PDF or ZIP to run. Opening it infects your machine with malware that steals data or gives attackers access. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆 • Confirm the job on the company’s official careers site or call HR using contact info from the company site (not the message). • Ask the recruiter for verifiable details: company email (not Gmail/Hotmail), official offer on company letterhead, and a phone interview. • Don’t enter credentials on pages reached from DMs - log into LinkedIn directly and check messages there. • Use MFA on LinkedIn and work accounts so stolen passwords alone aren’t enough. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 • Don’t pay. Report the profile and message to LinkedIn and your local cybercrime unit. • If you entered credentials, change passwords and enable MFA immediately. • If you opened attachments, run a malware scan and alert your IT/security team. Share this post so your network thinks twice before clicking on that “dream job” DM. IT BT Department, Karnataka | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | Simran Pawar | Manasa R | K.R. VIVEK | #CyberSecurity #PhishingScams #LinkedInScams #JobScamAlert #OnlineSafety #DigitalSecurity #StayCyberSafe #AwarenessPost

Cybersecurity Finishing School - Week 1 Wrap-Up! The first week of the Cybersecurity Finishing School kicked off with incredible energy and enthusiasm! From foundational concepts to live hacking demonstrations, participants dived deep into the core domains of cybersecurity - building a strong technical base for the journey ahead. Here’s what Week 1 covered: • Introduction to Cybersecurity and Risk Frameworks (NIST–NICE, CIA Triad, CVE/CVSS) • Network Security Fundamentals - TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, VLANs, VPNs & more • Embedded & IoT Security, Hardware Protection, and Threat Modelling (TARA) • Understanding AI & LLMs in Security, OWASP AI Top 10, and Agent-based Frameworks • Ethical Hacking - Hands-on sessions with Burp Suite, Kali Linux, and Windows Exploitation A big thank you to our expert resource persons - • Mr. Kalmesh Joshi (Head – IT Infra, FSID @ IISc), • Prof. Debayan Das (Asst. Professor, DESE @ IISc Bangalore), and • Mr. Mahesh Vastrad (Founder, Agamya Cyber Tech) - for sharing their expertise and insights throughout the week. The participants not only learned but also experimented, discussed, and applied what they learned - embodying the true spirit of hands-on cybersecurity training. As Week 1 comes to a close, we’re all set to advance into Week 2! IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Manasa R | K.R. VIVEK | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | Simran Pawar | #CySecK #CybersecurityFinishingSchool #CybersecurityAwareness #SkillBuilding #KarnatakaDigitalEconomyMission #IISc #CyberEducation #EthicalHacking

CyberSmart by CySecK - Now Live in Mangaluru Region! We’re excited to announce that the CyberSmart MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) has officially launched for the Mangaluru region! All registered students have now received their login credentials and can begin their learning journey toward becoming cyber aware and cyber ready. Let’s take a step forward together toward building a #CyberSafeKarnataka! IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Prateek Mishra | Manasa R | K.R. VIVEK | Pavan Manakwad (homemadegraphix) | Simran Pawar | #CySecK #CyberSmart #CyberAwareness #CyberSecurity #DigitalSafety #CyberEducation #Mangaluru

🚀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲: Bugz About the Startup: Bugzidna Labs Private Limited is a Bengaluru-based cybersecurity deeptech company developing an AI-powered Infrastructure as Code (IaC) platform. They're building the future of multi-cloud deployment and management to be more accessible, protected, and evolved through natural language processing capabilities that translate conversational instructions into secure, compliant infrastructure code. What They Do: Bugz Agent - An AI-powered platform that enables users to: • Create infrastructure using natural language commands (e.g., "Bugz, create a secure web server") • Generate compliant Terraform and OpenTofu code automatically • Deploy across multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) with built-in security policies • Access pre-built compliance templates for PCI, SOC2, HIPAA, and GDPR requirements • Validate deployments with automated security scans using OPA, Checkov and Trivy integration • Seamlessly fits in with the existing CI/CD DevOps pipeline. Why They Stand Out: • Natural Language First: Unlike traditional IaC tools that require extensive scripting knowledge, Bugz enables infrastructure creation through conversational AI, making it accessible to non-technical stakeholders. • Security by Design: Built-in compliance and security validation ensures that every deployment meets industry standards automatically, eliminating the common security gaps that lead to breaches. • Multi-Cloud Native: Seamless integration across AWS, Azure, and GCP without vendor lock-in, addressing the growing need for multi-cloud strategies. • Compliance Ready: Pre-built templates for critical regulations (PCI, SOC2, HIPAA, GDPR) accelerate time-to-market for regulated industries. • AI-Enhanced Learning: The platform learns from organizational patterns and industry best practices to continuously improve recommendations and automate complex infrastructure decisions. Bugzidnas’ Leadership: • Shekhar Gowda, Founder: "We're not just building another tool; we are reimagining how teams interact with cloud infrastructure in an increasingly complex digital landscape." Milestones: • Currently accelerated under CySecK’s H.A.C.K Cohort 4 • Incubated at T-Hub for RUBRIX Cohort 5, a leading startup incubator where we build our MVP from prototype to MVP stage in just 100 days. • Part of Startups Innovate Program - Google India   Reach out to them now at: • Location: North Bengaluru, Karnataka, India • Email: [email protected] • Phone: +91-91083-61527 • website: www.bugzidna.com IT BT Department, Karnataka | Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISc Bangalore | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Startup Karnataka | Bugz | Ranjeet Mishra | Anand Munikoti | Shivaling Salakki | Manasa R | #StartupShowcase #CohortStartups #CySecK #KarnatakaStartups #DeepTech #IndianStartups #SecureFuture #Cybersecurity #CySecK