Tech5: Google told to remove some app store restrictions; Airbus to up India sourcing, and more

UN report highlights how criminal syndicates use Telegram 

Telegram app is being used extensively by powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia, enabling a dramatic shift in organised crime operations, the UN highlighted recently, according to a Reuters report October 7. The app is implicated in facilitating large-scale illicit activities, including the trade of hacked data like credit card information and malware for cybercrime.

The UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicates that Southeast Asia has become a major hub for a multibillion-dollar industry driven by fraudulent schemes, largely operated by Chinese syndicates. Following the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France for enabling criminal activities, discussions on app provider liability have intensified. UNODC notes that criminal groups are increasingly leveraging advanced technologies, including deepfake software and unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges, to enhance their operations.

Infosys eliminates email attachments for job applicants to curtail fraud

Infosys has changed how job applicants can check their status, with the aim of tackling fraud, Economic Times reports. Infosys, India’s second-biggest IT services company, has stopped sending job offer letters and attachments via email, according to ET. Instead, new recruits can access their job application details by logging into a company portal.

On the careers page of its website, Infosys points out that the recruitment team does not request or require personal documents such as bank account details, tax forms or credit card information as part of the recruitment process. It provides a link that candidates can use to validate their offer letters.

Infosys received 2.4 million job applications in FY24, interviewed 194,367 applicants, and made offers to 26,975 applicants, according to ET, citing company filings.

Startup funding: XDLINX, Nayan Tech raise funding

XDLINX Space Labs, a small satellites maker and satellite-as-a-service provider, has raised $7 million in seed funding, led by Ashish Kacholia of Lucky Investments. E2MC, Mana Ventures, and other investors participated, according to a press release on October 7.

Nayan Tech, which provides AI-based solutions for road condition and safety alerts, has raised $2 million in seed funding led by Beenext, according to data from Tracxn, a private markets intelligence provider. Nayan gathers decentralised data on roadways from dash cameras, street cameras, highway CCTV cameras and so on to generate information on safe routes, optimum paths and so on.