Maharashtra Cyber has identified seven Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups responsible for launching over 1.5 million cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure websites across India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Despite these attacks, only 150 were successful, according to officials on Monday.
Even after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to cease military hostilities, Indian government websites have continued to face a surge of cyber attacks originating not only from Pakistan but also from Bangladesh, the Middle East, and Indonesia.
A senior official from Maharashtra Cyber refuted claims regarding data breaches, including those suggesting hackers stole information from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, hacked aviation and municipal systems, or targeted the Election Commission website.
"The investigation revealed that while cyber attacks on Indian government websites did decrease after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, they have not stopped entirely," the official stated. "These attacks are still being launched from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, and the Middle East."
A report titled "Road of Sindoor," linked to India’s military operation against terrorists, detailed the cyber warfare launched by Pakistan-allied hacking groups. The report has been submitted to key law enforcement agencies, including the Director-General of Police and the State Intelligence Department.
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According to Yashasvi Yadav, Additional Director-General of Police for Maharashtra Cyber, the cyber attacks were traced back to sources in Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Middle East, and an Indonesian hacker group. The groups involved employed tactics such as malware campaigns, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, GPS spoofing, and website defacements.
“Many of these attacks were thwarted, and India’s critical infrastructure was largely protected,” Yadav stated. He further emphasized that the report, “Road of Sindoor,” follows up on a previous report, "Echoes of Pahalgam," which documented cyber attacks in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
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The report identified seven hacking groups behind the attacks: APT 36 (Pakistan-based), Pakistan Cyber Force, Team Insane PK, Mysterious Bangladesh, Indo Hacks Sec, Cyber Group HOAX 1337, and National Cyber Crew (Pakistan-allied). These groups collectively launched approximately 1.5 million targeted cyber attacks on Indian infrastructure.
Out of the 150 successful attacks, notable incidents included the defacement of the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council website and the theft of data from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and telecom companies, with some of the stolen data allegedly appearing on the dark web. Additionally, the website of the Defence Nursing College in Jalandhar was defaced.
The report also highlights a hybrid warfare strategy employed by Pakistan-allied groups, which included misinformation campaigns. These groups falsely claimed responsibility for hacking India’s banking system, causing power outages, and spreading other fabricated narratives. Maharashtra Cyber identified and removed over 5,000 instances of misinformation related to India-Pakistan military conflicts circulating on social media.
Of 80 specific cases of misinformation flagged for removal, 35 have been taken down, with the remaining 45 still pending action. These false claims included allegations of cyber attacks on India's power grid, statewide blackouts, satellite jamming, disruption of the Northern Command, and an alleged attack on a BrahMos missile storage facility.
Maharashtra Cyber has urged citizens not to fall for or propagate misinformation and to always verify news through trusted and official sources.
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