Investigators Identify 11 Fake Social Media Accounts Used In Sending Fake Bomb Alerts To Airlines

The past week was nothing short of a nightmare for the aviation sector in India. From Air India to IndiGo, several airlines became victims of bomb threats. Consecutive news of bomb threats scared many waiting to board the aircraft. Investigations have been conducted to discover the truth behind these calls and messages. The teams have flagged 11 fake profiles used in sending fake bomb alerts and here’s more about these accounts.

Teams Of Investigators Found Fake X Accounts Sending Hoax Bomb Alerts

The unfortunate bomb alerts disrupted more than 20 scheduled flight operations. Many airlines remained on high alert to avoid any unexpected threats. It was a chaotic few days with concerned departments conducting operations to prevent any avoidable circumstances. Investigators involved in inspections have come across at least 11 fake X (formerly Twitter) profiles, according to a report by News18.

The teams flagged these accounts for sending hoax bomb alerts to different Indian airlines. Getting so many threats, one after another, triggered a stressful environment for security departments and central agencies. The only positive aspect of these past incidents was that no one was harmed or suffered any injuries. Officials involved in probing these incidents revealed that the number of social media accounts spreading these messages is likely to see a rise. Sources of most of these hoax messages are from social media platform X.

Central intelligence gathering units and cybercrime tracking agencies have joined the inspection procedures. Senior officers investigating these incidents revealed that either an individual or a gang was behind spreading the bomb alert messages. Chances are the involved gang are running these operations from a strong cyber network.

Also read: Bomb Scares Disrupt Over 20 Flights; Vistara, IndiGo, Air India, And Akasa Air On High Alert

The Concerned Departments Are Highly Active

The past week turned out to be worrisome and frightening for the Indian aviation industry. Now, necessary steps are being taken to prioritise passenger security and track people behind these fake bomb threats. The News18 report added that the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Ministry of Home Affairs are working on this matter.

The officers have contacted hackers, metadata analyst professionals, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) operators to take important steps in this crucial time. Individuals responsible for sending bomb alerts are changing IP addresses and using encrypted VPN networks for these cybercriminal activities.

Also read: Air India Express Dubai-Jaipur Flight Receives Hoax Bomb Threat; Makes Emergency Landing With 189 Passengers Onboard

Investigations are ongoing and happening in full swing.

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