Pakistani Hackers Launch 15 Lakh Cyberattacks on Indian Websites, Only 150 Successful
A new wave of cyberattacks targeting critical Indian government websites has been traced to seven Pakistan-backed hacker groups, according to officials from Maharashtra’s Cyber Department. The attacks, which numbered over 15 lakh, targeted infrastructure across India, including government portals, and occurred despite a ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan.
The cyberattacks began intensifying after the Pahalgam terror strike on April 22 and continued even after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to cease military hostilities. Despite the massive scale of the cyber onslaught, only 150 of the attacks were successful, a relatively small percentage considering the overall number.
Maharashtra Cyber officials noted that the attacks originated from multiple regions, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, and the Middle East. Although the frequency of cyberattacks dropped after the India-Pakistan ceasefire, they have not fully stopped. These persistent attacks, conducted by hacker groups linked to various countries, have continued to target Indian websites, including sensitive government infrastructure.
Officials clarified that reports suggesting hackers had breached Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, aviation systems, municipal networks, or India’s Election Commission website were untrue. No such incidents were confirmed during the investigation.
The cyberattacks, documented in a new report titled “Road of Sindoor,” were detailed and submitted to key agencies, including the Director General of Police and State Intelligence Department. The report outlines the scale of these attacks, the methods employed, and the groups responsible. “Road of Sindoor” follows an earlier report, “Echoes of Pahalgam,” which examined cyber activity after the Pahalgam attack.
According to the report, the attack tactics used by these groups included malware distribution, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults, GPS spoofing, and website defacement. While many attacks were successfully blocked, a few were able to penetrate India’s digital defenses. The officials emphasized that some of the targeted websites included India’s critical infrastructure.
One of the notable successful attacks was the defacement of the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council website. Another high-profile incident involved the defacement of the Defence Nursing College website in Jalandhar. Despite the success of these attacks, they represented only a small fraction of the total number of cyberattacks launched.
In addition to targeting websites, Pakistan-allied groups falsely claimed to have hacked India’s banking system and caused widespread power outages. Maharashtra Cyber officials have taken measures to counter these fabricated narratives. Over 5,000 pieces of fake news related to these claims were removed, and 80 misinformation items were flagged for further action. Authorities are urging the public to verify information through official sources to avoid falling for disinformation.
The fabricated cyberattack narratives included claims of attacks on India’s power grid, satellite jamming, disruption of the Northern Command, and an alleged breach of a BrahMos missile storage facility. These misleading reports were part of a larger misinformation campaign aimed at creating panic.
The latest findings point to seven hacker groups responsible for the attacks, including APT 36, Pakistan Cyber Force, Team Insane PK, Mysterious Bangladesh, Indo Hacks Sec, Cyber Group HOAX 1337, and National Cyber Crew. The authorities have stressed the importance of vigilance and cooperation to combat these cyber threats and maintain the security of India’s digital infrastructure.
IT.
