A Pakistan-based group launched a cyber offensive against several Indian defence websites on Monday amid escalating tensions between the two countries. The Pakistan Cyber Force also claims to have gained access to sensitive data pertaining to defence personnel — including their login credentials — as well as defacing the official website of a PSU company under the Ministry of Defence.
What has been affected?
The Pakistani Cyber Force claimed via social media posts that it had ‘gained access to sensitive data from the Indian Military Engineering Service and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis’. An ANI report quoting sources suggests that the attackers may have compromised personal information related to defence personnel. The group also defaced the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited — posting the Pakistan flag and an Al Khalid tank.
“Hacked. Your security is illusion. MES data owned,” it had reportedly written on X alongside a list of names, ostensibly belonging to Indian defence personnel.
The Pakistan Cyber Force handle, which has now been withheld, also reportedly claimed that it had access more than 10 GB data of 1,600 users on the website of Manohar Parrikar Institute.
India monitoring situation
Reports quoting sources said that the Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited website had since been taken offline for a thorough and deliberate audit, in order to assess the extent of any potential damage caused by the defacement attempt and to ensure the integrity of the website. Experts are also actively monitoring the cyberspace to detect any additional attacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors linked to Pakistan.