NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Mastering World History by Norman Lowe
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the rise of Chinese nationalism due to anti-imperialist and anti-Manchu sentiment in China.
Directive word:
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of Chinese revolution of 1911.
Body:
In the first part, write about the anti-Manchu sentiment prevailing in China against the weak and ineffective rule of the Manchu dynasty.
Next, write about the reactions against the imperial invasion of China and the exploitation that followed there.
Next, write about how the above culminated in the Chinese revolution of 1911.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The Manchu Dynasty’s rule ended in a revolution in 1911, when most of the provinces declared themselves independent. The new government tried for democratic reforms demanded by the young intellectuals. But the provincial armies opposed such reforms and in a military coup in 1911, the nascent government was overthrown. China was proclaimed a Republic under a military General named Yuan Shih Kai as President. Further, when Yuan declared himself to be the Emperor in 1915 against the wishes of provincial armies, he was removed from power and the Warlord era began.
Body
Anti-Manchusim and anti-imperialism
- Opium wars: In the 19th century, China had a weak government in form of Manchu dynasty. Britain had become a major trade partner but it had a huge trade deficit as China was self-sufficient and imported little from the West.
- The British were facing the burden of this trade deficit as the Chinese accepted only precious metals like Gold as payment for exports to Britain (especially Tea and Silk).
- As a solution to this problem, the British started exchanging Opium as payment.
- This was opposed by China and resulted in Opium Wars in 1840-2 and 1858. After the first Opium war, British took over Hong Kong and extracted trade concessions from China.
- They also established British sovereignty over the trading centres.
- China was coerced into giving up the opposition to trade with the West.
- Loss of territory: In 1858, China was weak. It was losing in the 2nd Opium War and was fighting the Taiping Rebellion. In 1858, Russia threatened to attack & thus forced China to hand over huge amount of territory north of the river Amur.
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900): By 1900, China was divided into spheres of influences (thus China was reduced to a status of international colony). It was felt that it would soon be partitioned, with each Imperial power ruling its sphere of influence.
- Russo-Japan War (1904-05): It was fought over Manchuria. Japan won this war and took over Russian possessions in China. Thus, more Chinese territory came under Japan’s control.
- Western Educated Chinese youth returned in early 1900s with radical revolutionary ideas. They desired to overthrow the Manchu Dynasty and some like Sun Yat Sen wanted to establish a USA type democracy. Sun Yat Sen established Kuomintang or KMT or the Nationalist Party.
- Republic China in 1911: The Manchu Dynasty’s rule ended in a revolution in 1911, when most of the provinces declared themselves independent. The new government tried for democratic reforms demanded by the young intellectuals. But the provincial armies opposed such reforms and in a military coup in 1911, the nascent government was overthrown.
Post 1911 revolution
- During the World War I (1914-9), Japan captured more Chinese territory in form of Kiachow islands and Shantung Province. However, it agreed to free these areas during a conference in Washington in 1921, in exchange for limitation on presence of US, British and French navies in the Pacific Ocean.
- Warlord Era (1916-28): During this time China disintegrated in numerous states, each controlled by a Warlord with a private army, who fought among themselves. The Warlord era created chaos in China and the farmers suffered the most hardships.
- The May 4th Movement (1919) was a movement started by the Chinese youth against the warlords and the regressive Chinese culture. Students gathered and held mass demonstrations. The Chinese Communist Party was formed in 1921 and it was sympathetic to the cause of peasants, who were the most oppressed section of the society under Warlord era.
- KMT was formed in 1912 by Dr Sun Yat Sen, who had returned to China after the 1911 revolution. It wanted a united, democratic and modern China. Though it was not communist in its ideology, it was ready to cooperate with the Communists in the initial phase.
- KMT vs Communists civil war was ongoing for the longest time till communist party took over.
Conclusion
By 1949, the Chinese Communist Party emerged victorious as its Red Army was by then relatively large and well-armed with Soviet weapons. This forced Chiang Kai Shek to flee to Taiwan where he setup a government in exile for whole of China. This government was recognized as the legitimate government of China by the USA, while a new Communist State emerged on the world map in territory of mainland China.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
There were different arenas (Korea, Vietnam, etc.) of the cold war. Apart from these different arenas, mention the different fields (ex: space race, sports) in which the cold war played out.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin your answer by writing briefly what the primary cause of the cold war was.
Body:
First write about the “hot” aspects of the war, the different places where the two superpowers technically battled each other (Korea, Vietnam etc.). Proceed to write about the different fields in which the cold war ended up playing out – sports, space race, weapons race etc.
Write about the impact of the above.
Conclusion:
You can conclude by highlighting how in recent years a new cold war may be brewing, this time between USA and China.
Introduction
Cold war was a sequence of events after the World War II (1939-45) till the disintegration of the USSR in 1991, whereby the two super powers, USA and USSR, competed for hegemony in domains of economy, science and technology, politics and military. Each side adopted policies to strengthen itself and weaken the other falling short of an actual war.
Body
Various domains of cold war
- Ideologies: Nations in the Soviet and Chinese spheres were governed by They also featured command economies, in which production and distribution is rigidly controlled by the government.
- US-led block was the capitalist block which stood for liberal values of democracy and freedom. They saw communism as a threat to the liberal world.
- NATO vs Warsaw Pact: US formed NATO (1949) after the West Berlin Blockade because the capitalist bloc found itself unprepared for a military conflict.
- Warsaw pact (1955) was initiated by USSR in response to NATO admitting West Germany.
- It was signed by USSR and all satellite states except Yugoslavia.
- Under Warsaw Pact, the members promised to defend each other against any attack from outside and the armies of all members came under overall control of Moscow.
- Arms race began in earnest when USSR developed the Atomic Bomb in 1949.
- Thereafter, US planned and produced the much more powerful Hydrogen Bomb.
- By 1953, USSR also caught up and developed the Hydrogen Bomb.
- Space race: Space exploration served as another dramatic arena for Cold War competition. Russia launched its first satellite in 1957, called Sputnik.
- In 1959, the Soviet space program took another step forward with the launch of Luna 2, the first space probe to hit the moon.
- In April 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth, traveling in the capsule-like spacecraft Vostok 1.
- December 1968 saw the launch of Apollo 8, the first manned space mission to orbit the moon. By landing on the moon, the United States effectively “won” the space race that had begun with Sputnik’s launch in 1957.
Cold War manifestation across the world
- Berlin Wall erection and blockade: After WWII, Germany was divided into the Soviet-occupied, communist East and the Ally-occupied, democratic West.
- Though this division was initially administrative, the nation split into separate states (West Germany and East Germany) in 1949.
- Immediately preceding the division of Germany was the year-long Berlin blockade. The aim of the blockade was to starve the West Germans, but this was overcome by Allies through airlifting supplies.
- Berlin Wall was erected, which was called the descent of the iron curtain and start of cold war.
- Korean War of 1950- 1953: After World War II, Korea was divided into the Soviet-backed North and US-backed South.
- A Northern invasion of the South sparked the Korean War (1950-53), in which the South was supported by a US-led UN coalition.
- Just when this coalition had taken most of the Korean Peninsula, China joined the USSR in support of the North, driving the Americans back southward to the 38th parallel; this line has served as the boundary between the two Koreas ever since.
- Vietnam War: The most prolonged and destructive Cold War conflict was the Vietnam War (1954-75). Post war the nation was divided into the communist, USSR/China-backed North and non-communist, US-backed South.
- The US resorted to brutal campaigns of carpet bombing (area bombing) and defoliation (destruction of foliage, typically with napalm or herbicides).
- Yet even these extreme measures failed.
- The US ultimately withdrew, North Vietnam invaded the South, and the nation was Millions had been killed
- Cuban Missile Crisis: The apex of Cold War tension was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when the US discovered that Russia was building nuclear launch sites in Cuba.
- President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of the island, and for a few days nuclear war seemed imminent. reunited under communist
- An agreement was reached, however, in which Khrushchev removed the weapons from Cuba in exchange for the American removal of warheads in Turkey, as well as a guarantee against future American invasion of Cuba
- Afghan invasion by Soviet: The foremost conflict of the late Cold War was the Soviet War in Afghanistan (1979-89), in which Soviet forces attempted to defend the reigning communist government of Afghanistan from anti-communist guerrillas.
- The guerrillas, furnished with weapons and funding provided by the US and sympathetic Muslim nations, maintained a bloody stalemate throughout the conflict (such that this war has been dubbed the “Soviet Vietnam”).
- The guerrillas toppled the communist government a few years after the Soviet withdrawal.
Conclusion
The cold war was a period of hostilities between nations who were aligned with the two blocs. Post-cold-war American supremacy remained for a long time, making it a unipolar world. Today Russia is no longer a major threat to USA. China’s rise in the past two decades is a simmering conflict in the waiting. The friction between USA and China has been touted as the Cold war 2.0
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
A 25-year-old pregnant woman moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 19) seeking an abortion after the Delhi High Court declined her plea last week. The woman has also challenged Rule 3B of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules, 2003, which allows only some categories of women to seek termination of pregnancy between 20 and 24 weeks.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the various issues in India’s abortion law.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving statistic in regards to abortions in India.
Body:
First, mention the features of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 expands the access to safe and legal abortion.
Next, write about the various issues Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 as to why the practise of illegal and unsafe abortions continues in the county – lack of awareness, discrimination, stigma, lack of counselling etc. Write about its impact on the women.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 is an important Bill that seeks to enhance the reproductive rights of women in India. The Bill amended the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. This Act covers abortions in India. It had been amended in 1975 and 2002. Before the enactment of this legislation, abortion was prohibited under Section 312 of the Indian Penal Code.
A 25-year-old pregnant woman moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 19) seeking an abortion after the Delhi High Court declined her plea last week. The woman has also challenged Rule 3B of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules, 2003, which allows only some categories of women to seek termination of pregnancy between 20 and 24 weeks.
Body:
Significance:
- The move to amend the MTP Act, 1971 is a progressive step towards empowerment of women.
- It will provide greater reproductive rights to women as abortion is considered an important aspect of the reproductive health of women.
- Deaths and injuries from unsafe abortions are largely preventable provided services are performed legally by trained practitioners.
- Raising the upper limit of legal abortions from 20 weeks to 24 weeks for “special categories of women”, including rape and incest survivors, other vulnerable women, and children.
- It will completely be removing the upper gestation limit for abortion in the cases of substantial foetal abnormalities will help many more seek safe and legal abortion services.
- Allowing all women, and not just married ones, to legally seek abortions, and striking out the need for the opinion of a second registered practitioner for aborting pregnancies up to 20 weeks
Shortcomings of the act:
- Son meta-preference:
- The preference for a male child keeps sex determination centres in business in spite of their illegal status. There are concerns that a more liberal abortion law can aggravate this state-of-affairs.
- Foetal Viability:
- A key aspect of the legality governing abortions has always been the ‘viability’ of the foetus. Viability implies the period from which a foetus is capable of living outside the womb.
- Currently, viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks. Thus, late termination of pregnancy may get in conflict with the viability of the foetus.
- Non-institutional deliveries:
- Only 22% of 15.6 million abortions happen in healthcare facilities, there is no record of the others. We need far more providers at the lower levels of healthcare delivery to ensure safe abortion services reach more women.
- Lack of Awareness of rights:
- A study of 1,007 women of ages 15-24 years in Assam and Madhya Pradesh in November 2018 found only 20% young women know about modern contraceptive methods, and 22% are aware that abortion is legal in India. None of the women surveyed were aware of the correct legal gestation of 20 weeks
- Change of Choice:
- The current Billdoes not consider factors such as personal choice, a sudden change in circumstances (due to separation from or death of a partner), and domestic violence.
- Medical Boards:
- The present healthcare budgetary allocation makes setting up a board across the country, both financially and practically impossible.
- Accessto the board by pregnant women in remote areas of the state is a matter of concern.
- No time limit setto respond to the requests.
- The board will subject women to multiple examinations before allowing her to terminate her pregnancy. This is a violation of right to privacy and right to live with dignity.
Way Forward:
- The government needs to ensure that all norms and standardised protocols in clinical practice to facilitate abortions are followed in health care institutions across the country.
- Since everything rests on the delivery, stopping short would undoubtedly make this progressive order a mere half measure.
- With an estimated 90% of women seeking before 12 weeks’ gestation, training village-level health workers (auxiliary nurse midwives) and nurses to prescribe simple abortion pills will help take safe services to the doorsteps of vulnerable women and, in case of complications, lead to timely referrals.
- This gap in services can be addressed in the new rules that will be framed when the amended act is passed.
- Instead of denying services to women because of the apprehension of untrained practitioners profiteering, the government should focus on regulating the healthcare sector to ensure basic quality services, such as contraception, safe delivery and abortion, are available for the asking.
Conclusion:
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is for expanding access of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian or social grounds. It is a step towards the safety and well-being of the women and many women will be benefitted from this. Recently several petitions were received by the Courts seeking permission for aborting pregnancies at a gestational age beyond the present permissible limit on grounds of foetal abnormalities or pregnancies due to sexual violence faced by women. The proposed increase in gestational age will ensure dignity, autonomy, confidentiality and justice for women who need to terminate the pregnancy.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Researchers from the International Institute for Population Sciences triangulated data from routine records of maternal deaths under the Health Management Information System, with Census data and the Sample Registration System (SRS) to provide the MMR for all States and districts of India. The analysis suggests that 70% of districts (448 out of 640 districts) in India have reported MMR above 70 deaths — a target under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the high MMR in certain parts and measures needed to tackle it.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving statistic regarding MMR in India and how it is relatively high in certain parts of the country.
Body:
Frist, write about the various measures against MMR – LaQshya, Poshan Abhiyan, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Initiative (SUMAN) etc.
Next, write the reasons why there are high trends of MMR in India despite above measures.
Next, write about the measures that are needed to reduce mortality rates in low performing states.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
India’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has improved to 103 in 2017-19, from 113 in 2016-18. This is according to the special bulletin on MMR released by the Registrar General of India March 14, 2022.
As per the World Health Organisation, maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.
Body
MMR in states: Findings
- Researchers from the International Institute for Population Sciences triangulated data from routine records of maternal deaths under the Health Management Information System, with Census data and the Sample Registration System (SRS) to provide the MMR for all States and districts of India.
- The analysis suggests that 70% of districts (448 out of 640 districts) in India have reported MMR above 70 deaths — a target under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
- The number of States that have achieved the SDG target has now risen from five to seven — Kerala(30), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (56), Tamil Nadu (58), Andhra Pradesh (58), Jharkhand (61), and Gujarat (70).
- Keralahas recorded the lowest MMR which puts Kerala way ahead of the national MMR of 103.
- Kerala’s Maternal MMR has dropped by 12 points. The last SRS bulletin (2015-17) had put the State’s MMR at 42(later adjusting it to 43).
- There are now nine States that have achieved the MMR target set by the NHP, which include the above seven and Karnataka (83) and Haryana (96).
- Uttarakhand(101), West Bengal (109), Punjab (114), Bihar (130), Odisha (136) and Rajasthan (141) — have the MMR in between 100-150, while Chhattisgarh (160), Madhya Pradesh (163), Uttar Pradesh (167) and Assam (205) have the MMR above 150.
Causes for high MMR
- According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the major causes for maternal mortality are severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, anaemia, complications from delivery, and unsafe abortions.
- A large number of these issues can be alleviated with proper medical support, which is sometimes not easy to access. These complications are a result of compounded social, cultural and medical factors.
- Early pregnancy between 15 and 19 years of age, when the adolescent girls are themselves growing, can lead to numerous complications that often result in the death of the mother.
- Child marriage, still followed in some parts of India even though it has been declared illegal, aggravates cases of pregnancy-related complications in young girls.
- Other causes that result in maternal deaths are lack of necessary medical care during childbirth or financial constraints to access medical care.
Conclusion and way forward
- In conclusion, women deserve the right to safe maternity services. This includes physical and emotional safety for the mother and baby.
- Hence, a well-managed system that allows pregnant women to access maternal health care with minimum exposure risk is essential during the outbreak.
- Simultaneously, task sharing with community health workers under regulatory and legal provisions must be explored.
- E-training mechanisms and capacity building exercises must be undertaken for the additionally requisitioned health workforce to reduce the workload of time-sensitive commitments and non-health work.
- Importantly, the health workers must also be trained to reduce the risk, stigma and sensitization of pregnant women on COVID-19 symptoms, prevention and hygiene.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Down to Earth
Why the question:
The National Centre for Coastal Research has analysed 6,907 kilometres of coastline on the Indian mainland from 1990 to 2018. Some 33.6 per cent of India’s coastline has been under varying degrees of erosion for the past 28 years, Jitendra Singh, minister of state (Independent Charge) for the Union Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences told the Lok Sabha July 20,2022.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about costal erosion, its causes, the economic and ecological impact and measures needed to tackle it.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining coastal erosion and giving statistic regarding its extent in India.
Body:
First, write about the major causes behind increasing trends of coastal erosion.
Next, write about the economic costs of coastal erosion and how it will affect the coastal communities and economy.
Next, write about the ecological costs of coastal erosion.
Next, write about various measures that are required to tackle coastal erosion.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
Coastal erosion (or shoreline retreat) is the loss of coastal lands due to the net removal of sediments or bedrock from the shoreline.
Coastal erosion can be either a: rapid-onset hazard (occurs very quickly, a period of days to weeks) or a slow-onset hazard (occurring over many years, or decades to centuries).
Body
Coastal erosion: background
- Coastal erosion is typically driven by the action of waves and currents, but also by mass wasting processes on slopes, and subsidence (particularly on muddy coasts).
- Significant episodes of coastal erosion are often associated with extreme weather events (coastal storms, surge and flooding) but also from tsunami, both because the waves and currents tend to have greater intensity and because the associated storm surge or tsunami inundation can allow waves and currents to attack landforms which are normally out of their reach.
- On coastal headlands, such processes can lead to undercutting of cliffs and steep slopes and contribute to mass wasting.
- In addition, heavy rainfall can enhance the saturation of soils, with high saturation leading to a reduction in the soil’s shear strength, and a corresponding increase in the chance of slope failure (landslides).
Acceleration of coastal erosion due to sea level rise
- Global warming causes sea-level rise as oceans expand, and makes storm patterns more energetic. Consequently, it will affect most of the world’s coastlines through inundation and increased erosion.
- Sound predictions of the development of these hazards over the next century are needed in order to manage the resulting risks. Coastal flooding is somewhat easier to predict than erosion since inundation can be estimated using coastal contours.
- However, its prediction is not trivial since inundation may be followed by rapid reshaping of the shoreline by, amongst other things, waves, tidal currents and human interventions.
- Human activities can also strongly influence the propensity of landforms to erode. For example, the construction of coastal structures (such as breakwaters, groynes and seawalls) can lead to changes in coastal sediment transport pathways, resulting in erosion in some areas and accretion in others.
- The removal of sediments from the coastal system (e.g., by dredging or sand mining), or a reduction in the supply of sediments (e.g., by the regulation of rivers) can also be associated with unintended erosion.
- At larger scales, natural and human-induced climate change can modulate the likelihood and rate of coastal erosion. Coastal erosion becomes a hazard when society does not adapt to its effects on people, the built environment and infrastructure.
Conclusion and way forward
- Strategic planting of vegetation can be used to help control erosion. the roots of coastal plants help to anchor the sand and ensure that it is not carried off in erosion. This is why many areas plant seagrass and build marshes along coasts to prevent erosion.
- Seawalls are one particularly effective way to prevent erosion. These are structures that are built along the coastline to stop waves from ever coming into contact with the sand/shore on the opposite side. While seawalls tend to be quite effective at preventing erosion, they are only able to protect the coast that they are installed along.
Topic: basics of cyber security;
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Vishing is a cyber crime that uses the phone to steal personal confidential information from victims. Often referred to as voice phishing, cyber criminals use savvy social engineering tactics to convince victims to act, giving up private information and access to bank accounts.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the Vishing, issues associated with it and ways to tackle them.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining ‘Vishing’
Body:
First, elaborate about the modus operandi of ‘Vishing’ attack.
Next, write about the manner and ways vishing affects the cybersecurity of India. Cite examples to substantiate.
Next, write about the measures that are needed to prevent vishing attacks in the country.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Vishing attacks are slightly more sophisticated than the well-known phishing attack. In phishing attacks, perpetrators fraudulently send emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information. The additional layer in vishing is the voice component.
Vishing is short for “voice phishing,” which involves defrauding people over the phone, enticing them to divulge sensitive information. In this definition of vishing, the attacker attempts to grab the victim’s data and use it for their own benefit—typically, to gain a financial advantage.
Body
About vishing attack compromising security
- Vishing has the same end goal as many kinds of cyberattacks. In a digitized business and financial environment, all that stands between a criminal and the money of victims is access credentials, credit card numbers, or personal data that can be later used to execute identity theft.
- Vishing is performed over the phone using a voice call. This can occur over a landline, cellular network, or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system.
- The main reason why vishing attacks are performed is to obtain sensitive financial information or the personal data of the person who answers the phone.
- In a face-to-face interaction, physical, visible credentials can be presented, such as identity badges, driver’s licenses, or access cards. Over the phone, the methods of verifying the caller’s identity are limited to what they say.
- Compromised Bank or Credit Card Account: If a visher can get the bank account or credit card information of a victim, they can gain access to their funds.
- The routing numbers for bank accounts can be easily found online.
- With the combination of a bank’s routing info and the victim’s personal account number, the attacker can potentially withdraw or transfer funds from their account into their own.
- Similarly, with a credit card number, expiration date, and security code, an attacker can make purchases over the phone or online. Even if the purchase is revealed as fraudulent, the attacker, in many cases, can return the item or sell it for a profit.
- Unsolicited Loan or Investment Offers
- Vishers can catch victims off guard by offering them the opportunity to invest in a project or obtain a loan. Because these kinds of financial transactions often involve divulging personal financial information, if the attacker can convince the victim that their offer is legitimate, the target may have no problem giving up sensitive information.
- Medicare or Social Security Scam: Sadly, many attackers focus on people who are sick or elderly. Part of their attack may involve using the victim’s condition as leverage to convince the target they should give up their personal data. This could involve a promise to sign them up for a free offer, get a refund, or receive a check—only after they provide private information.
Measures to tackle Vishing attack
- Verify identity: To ensure that you do not become a victim of a vishing attack, check sender’s address, look for typos and grammatical errors, and consider the type of information requested.
- Do not disturb registry: The National Do Not Call Registry can reduce the number of telemarketing—and vishing—calls you get. If companies call numbers on the list, they can face penalties.
- Not responding to prompts: Automated vishing calls depend on feedback from the victim. If you refuse to press buttons or answer questions, the attack can be stopped.
- Block cards and suspend account if one has divulged information. The nature of the attack: If you provided financial information, you should alert the institutions involved.
- Never reveal personal data: Vishing attacks are designed to trick the target into revealing personal information, which attackers can use for other attacks or fraud. Never give a multi-factor authentication (MFA) number, password, financial data, or similar details over the phone.
- Never give remote computer access: Vishers could request remote access to your computer under the guise of removing malware or fixing some issue. You should never grant anyone access to your computer, unless they are a verified member of an IT department.
- Report suspicious incidents: Vishers typically repeat the same scam on several targets. Report suspected vishing attacks to authorities or security staff at your organization, ensuring they can protect other targets.
Conclusion
Unlike phishing, vishing is hard to stop using technology. Because vishing takes place over the phone, an organization would need to eavesdrop on all phone calls and find warning signs to detect an attack.
Due to this, organizations should build a threat model and focus on the attacker’s objectives when preventing vishing attacks
General Studies – 4
Topic: Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and nonpartisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Lexicon Publications.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of fortitude.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining fortitude.
Body:
Explain how Fortitude is firmness of spirit, especially in difficulty. It provides for constancy in the pursuit of virtue. Fortitude is a willingness to freely go beyond the call of duty, to make sacrifices, to act on your convictions. Fortitude includes the courage to confront our personal weaknesses and attraction to vice. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Fortitude is firmness of spirit, especially in difficulty. It provides for constancy in the pursuit of virtue. Fortitude is a willingness to freely go beyond the call of duty, to make sacrifices, to act on your convictions. Fortitude includes the courage to confront our personal weaknesses and attraction to vice.
Body
Any individual engaged in public service will face multiple challenges in the fulfilment of their goals.
Fortitude is a display of courage in a difficult situation. E.g.: A situation where a disaster like an earthquake has taken place requires immense fortitude. This attitude ensures peace and attracts positivity. It leads to courageous people coming out to face the truth.
Civil service involves decision-making in the public sphere. They have to deal with many matters that are anonymous and discrete. Due to this, fortitude is an eminent desirable quality in civil servants.
E.g.: Kiran Bedi, IPS officer sent a traffic challan to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the latter’s vehicle was parked wrongly.
A person with fortitude will not give up easily, and despite disappointing results or setbacks, will continually fight to improve the system. adversities could be in form of “dilemmas”, “conflicts of interests”, “sound decision making”, “to face fake cases against an honest officer”, “time management”, “striking a balance between personal and professional life”, “to fight corruption”.
E.g: Ashok Khemka, an IAS officer undertook case against business mafia head-on despite the fear to his life and limb.
Conclusion
All the virtues exist as forms of balance, and so must be carefully distinguished from the various excesses which threaten to substitute for virtue. This is especially true in the case of fortitude, with can easily degenerate into extremes of brashness or cowardice.
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