06 April 2023

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

 1 – Pegasus Spyware: GS III – Cybersecurity:

Context:

• A prospective Pegasus replacement, an Israeli spyware outfit, has sold technology to the Indian defense department, according to trade data that The Hindu was able to collect. Investors have filed a class action lawsuit in the US against the defendant company, Cognyte Software Ltd.

About:

• It is a type of spyware that falls under the category of malware.
• It is designed to covertly access devices, collect user data, and then relay that data to whoever is utilizing the spying program.
• Pegasus was created by the Israeli business NSO Group, which was established in 2010.
• In order to attack phones, the earliest version of Pegasus, which was discovered by researchers in 2016, used spear-phishing, which is the technique of tricking a target into clicking on a malicious link via text messages or emails.
• Nonetheless, NSO’s capacity for attack has increased since then. So-called “zero-click” attacks, which are successful without the phone owner’s assistance, can lead to Pegasus infections.
• They frequently use so-called “zero-day” vulnerabilities, which are flaws or weaknesses in the operating system that the maker of the mobile phone is not yet aware of and so has not been able to fix.

Targets:

• Human rights advocates, journalists, and lawyers have all been the targets of phone spyware that an Israeli intelligence agency sold to autocratic nations.
• Government officials, opposition figures, and Indian ministers are included on the list of people whose phones may have been compromised by the spyware.
• In 2019, WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against Israel’s NSO Group in a US court, alleging that the firm was launching cyberattacks against the service via malware infections on mobile devices.

Recent initiatives:

• The Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative was established in 2018 with the aim of promoting cybercrime awareness and increasing the capability of frontline IT professionals and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) across all government ministries for safety measures.
• The National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NCCC) was founded in 2017 to monitor incoming internet traffic and communication metadata—tiny bits of data tucked away inside each communication—to spot cyberthreats in real time.
• Cyber Swachhta Kendra: This website was established in 2017 to aid internet users in removing viruses and malware from their computers and other electronic devices.
• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): I4C’s official opening has just been granted by the government.
• India has also developed a nationwide reporting system for cybercrime.
• The main organization that deals with cybersecurity issues like phishing and hacking is CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team – India).

Source The Hindu

2 – Sars Cov 2 Virus: GS II – Health-related issues:

Context:

• An analysis of environmental and animal samples from the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, in early 2020 for SARS-CoV-2 only revealed the virus in ambient swabs but not in those from animals, according to a paper published in Nature on April 5. Further analysis of the genetic material from environmental samples, both virus positive and virus negative, revealed a diversity of animals at the market. The raccoon dogs were included in this because they have been speculated to be potential intermediate hosts for the virus. The investigation did not turn up any diseased animal species, though. The inquiry was unable to pinpoint the virus’s source as a result.

Definition of mutation:

• A mutation is an alteration to the genetic make-up (the genome) of a cell in a living organism or of a virus that is more or less permanent and can be passed on to the progeny of the original cell or virus.
• The genome of an organism is made entirely of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), unlike the genome of a virus, which can be made of either DNA or ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Mutations in DNA versus RNA:

• When cells divide, copies of their DNA are also made for the newly generated cells. During DNA replication, random errors are added to the newly created DNA.
• Unlike to DNA viral genomes, which can have their mistakes rectified by the cells in which they multiply, RNA does not have enzymes in cells to correct errors. RNA viruses therefore accumulate more genetic changes than DNA viruses (mutations).

What the Mutation Means:

Evolution:

• Although though the majority of mutations are detrimental to the virus, if any of them offer a competitive advantage, such as increased infectivity, transmission, or immunity escape, they outcompete more seasoned variants in a population.
• For illustration: In January 2020, a mutation known as D614G altered an amino acid at a particular place in the coronavirus spike protein.
• This mutation currently accounts for almost 99% of the virus that is circulating globally because it produced “fitter” viruses that infected and multiplied more successfully. More mutations are currently showing up in this background.
• The coronavirus spike protein binds to a human protein to begin the infection process.
• The behavior of the virus, including its ability to propagate infection, cause severe disease, or avoid the immune response elicited by vaccines, may be affected by the changes made here.

Characteristics of the RNA genome of the coronavirus

Coronaviruses have two distinctive features in their RNA genomes:

• At 30,000 nucleotides, they have the largest genome among RNA viruses (also known as nucleic acid units).

Stability:

• The genomes of coronaviruses, which are RNA viruses that also cause respiratory illness but evolve a thousand times more slowly than influenza viruses do, are comparatively stable.

RBD Mutations Found Recently in Many Coronaviruses:

• Three significant Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) mutations that have evolved in South Africa and Brazil are K417N/T, E484K, and N501Y.
• The UK version carries the N501Y, P681H mutation.
• Most virus mutations that change the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein are more likely to change how well a person can recognize and neutralize antibodies made by a natural infection or vaccination.
• By preventing the RBD from binding to the cellular receptor and preventing the virus from infecting cells, anti-RBD antibodies eliminate the virus.

Test for Immunization Against Emerging Variants:

• To determine if a growing variant might evade the immune system’s defenses after a natural infection or vaccination, laboratories conduct indirect testing.
• It is investigated to see if mutant viruses can evade antibodies using serum (the blood components that comprise antibodies) from healthy individuals or those who have received vaccinations.
• An inhibitory concentration (IC) or plaque reduction neutralization titer (PRNT) value indicates how effective a serum or antibody is.
• The reciprocal dilution of serum or an antibody that neutralizes 50% of the viruses in the sample is known as the IC50 or PRNT50 value.

Vaccination’s efficacy in preventing emerging variants:

• It has been admitted by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech that their vaccines provided less protection against the South African strain. It is believed that the two companies are developing new vaccines to cover these mutations.
• There is also evidence of several re-infections in South Africa with the variation, which is caused by the ability for new versions to get over the defenses put in place against the original virus.

Source The Hindu

3 – Lumpy Skin Disease: GS III – Livestock-related issues:

Context:

• The Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), which recently claimed the lives of approximately 1.89 lakh cattle, is expected to have an influence on “stagnation” in milk output as well as potential scarcity in the supply of ghee and butter, according to the Centre. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Union Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairy, stated that if the situation persisted, the government would investigate all possibilities, including the import of specific milk products. He claimed that another factor contributing to the “price inflation” of milk and its products was the rise in the cost of feed and its shortage. 2011 marked the most recent occasion the nation imported milk products.

Causes:

• Lumpy Skin Disease Virus infects water buffalo or cattle, which results in LSD (LSDV).
• The mortality rate is under 10%, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
• In 1929, Zambia reported an epidemic of lumpy skin condition. At first, it was believed to be the result of poisoning or an allergy to bug bites.

Transmission:

• Mosquitoes and biting flies are the main biting insects (vectors) that transmit lumpy skin disease between animals.

Symptoms:

• The main symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, saliva leaking from the lips, and body blisters.
• Due to difficulty chewing or eating, the animal stops eating, which lowers milk production.

Treatment and Prevention:

• The Indian Cattle Health and Disease Control Programme provides coverage for vaccination against certain diseases.
• No particular antiviral medications are available to treat lumpy skin condition. Supportive care for cattle is the sole available treatment. This can involve utilizing wound care sprays to treat skin lesions and medications to stop subsequent skin infections and pneumonia.
• Animals suffering from pain can be given anti-inflammatory medications to maintain their appetite.

Source The Hindu

4 – Aqua Culture Bill: GS II – Government Schemes and Interventions:

Context:

• On April 5, opposition MPs again caused a commotion in the Lok Sabha by demanding that the Adani situation be looked into by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), even as the government unveiled the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the midst of the controversy.

About:

• The bill was submitted by Parshottam Rupala, minister of fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairying. It proposes to decriminalize certain of the infractions listed in the earlier 2005 Act in order to promote commerce.
• It also seeks to enhance the Coastal Aquaculture Authority’s administrative practices and promote newer, more environmentally friendly forms of coastal aquaculture, including cage culture, seaweed culture, marine ornamental fish culture, and pearl oyster culture, all of which have the potential to increase employment opportunities.
• Also, it contains a provision that forbids the use of antibiotics and medications with pharmacological effects on humans in coastal aquaculture.

Source The Hindu