Cyber Security, Media & Money-laundering

A newspaper analysis has argued that artificial intelligence, autonomy and algorithmic warfare are rapidly reshaping modern battlefields, with examples from Ukraine, West Asia and emerging US autonomous aircraft programmes showing how software, drones, sensors and real-time data are compressing the military decision cycle. The issue is important for UPSC because it links AI warfare, national security, drone swarms, defence indigenisation, cyber warfare, space-based surveillance, start-up-led innovation and the ethics of autonomous weapons.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has notified a revised compensation framework for victims of small-value digital banking fraud, under which a bona fide customer who loses up to Rs 50,000 in a fraudulent electronic banking transaction (EBT) can recover a major portion of the loss. The framework will take effect from 1 January 2027 and, notably, makes the RBI itself bear the largest share of the compensation. This article explains the new mechanism, the eligibility conditions and cost-sharing math, the existing zero-liability/limited-liability framework of 2017, the scale of bank and digital fraud in India, and the concerns around implementation.

Anthropic has released Claude Fable 5, a publicly available version of its more powerful Mythos-class AI model, while keeping Claude Mythos 5 restricted for selected trusted users because of risks in cybersecurity, biology, chemistry and model misuse. The issue is important for UPSC because it links frontier AI, dual-use technology, cyber security, data protection, responsible innovation, IndiaAI Mission and global AI governance.

On March 28, 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly formed Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) in New Delhi to review the evolving situation in West Asia and its impact on India. The IGoM was set up under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to monitor the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the US, and to prepare for any challenges. Singh emphasised adopting a medium to long-term preparedness strategy, swift decision-making, and coordinated efforts to counter rumours, misinformation and fake news about the conflict’s effects on India.

The Madras High Court has made a landmark ruling by recognizing cryptocurrency as "property" under Indian law, providing legal protection to digital assets for the first time in a judicial decision. This came in a case where an investor's XRP holdings on the WazirX exchange were frozen after a 2024 cyberattack, allowing the court to grant interim relief and assert jurisdiction over such assets. The decision boosts investor confidence in a market where crypto is already taxed as virtual digital assets, but lacks full regulatory clarity, amid growing adoption in India with over 100 million users.

On October 20, 2025, Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a significant outage due to a DNS resolution issue in its DynamoDB service endpoints, affecting over 1,000 online platforms and services globally. This event disrupted everyday digital activities for millions, from messaging apps to financial transactions, and highlighted the critical role of cloud infrastructure in modern internet operations, prompting discussions on the need for greater diversification in cloud reliance.

Indian scientists at the Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru have made a major advance in quantum technology by developing methods to generate and certify truly random numbers using a general-purpose quantum computer. This achievement, led by physicist Urbasi Sinha, is the first of its kind ready for real-world use and could lead to unbreakable digital security systems, especially as quantum computers threaten current encryption methods.