Pakistani hacker group accessed Indian defence websites: Report

A group of hackers calling itself the “Pakistani Cyber Force” claims to have accessed sensitive information after hacking some Indian defence institutions’ websites.

The development comes amid tense situations in India and Pakistan in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, in which at least 25 tourists and a local person were brutally killed.

The hackers claim to have breached the websites of the Manohar Parikkar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, the Indian Military Engineering Services, and other websites, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

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In a post on the hacker group’s X account, they say they have accessed classified personnel data, including the login credentials of certain persons.

Website defaced

The group is also alleged to have defaced the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Ltd., a public sector company under the Ministry of Defence. Officials said the website was defaced with images of the Pakistani flag and the Al Khalid tank. The website has been taken offline to examine the potential damage due to the defacement and to prevent any further breaches.

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Also, Pakistan-sponsored hacker groups launched several unsuccessful attempts to breach Indian websites on Thursday, according to a report in India Today.

Cybersecurity experts and security agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any cyberattacks after the claim on X, officials said.

"It has come to attention via the Twitter account 'Pakistan Cyber Force' that the group has allegedly gained access to sensitive data from the Indian Military Engineering Service and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis. This claim suggests that the attackers may have compromised personal information related to defence persons, including the login credentials," the officials said.

Portal goes offline

"As a precautionary measure, the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited has 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," they said.

"Furthermore, cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any additional cyber attacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors linked to Pakistan," they added.

This ongoing surveillance aims to quickly identify and mitigate any future risks posed by these cyber attackers, the officials said.

(With agency inputs)