In the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, cyber threats from Pakistan-based groups have intensified, with Indian defence websites becoming the latest targets. Defence establishment sources indicate that these cyberattacks may have compromised sensitive data, including login credentials of defence personnel.
A handle on social media platform X, operating under the name Pakistan Cyber Force, has claimed responsibility for accessing critical information belonging to the Military Engineer Services (MES) and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (MP-IDSA). The same group also attempted to deface the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
As a precautionary measure, AVNL's website has been taken offline for a comprehensive security audit to determine the extent of any possible breach. According to sources, cybersecurity experts are maintaining heightened vigilance, monitoring for further intrusions, especially those potentially linked to Pakistan-sponsored threat actors.
Before being withheld in India, the Pakistan Cyber Force handle posted screenshots purportedly showing defacement of the AVNL website, replacing images of Indian tanks with Pakistani ones. In another post, the group shared what appeared to be a list of Indian defence personnel, along with the message: “Hacked. Your security is illusion. MES data owned.” The group further claimed to have exfiltrated over 10 GB of data from 1,600 users on the MP-IDSA portal.
These cyber intrusions come amid a steep decline in India-Pakistan relations following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 25 tourists and a local Kashmiri were brutally killed. The Resistance Front, a known proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
In response, India has vowed strong retaliatory measures. Investigations into the attack have reportedly established Pakistani involvement, echoing past incidents of cross-border terrorism. In addition to diplomatic outreach, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and halted visa services for Pakistani nationals. High-level meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and senior defence officials point to the possibility of a more significant response in the near future.
Pakistan, however, has continued to deny involvement, demanding proof and deflecting blame—an approach it has taken in prior incidents, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Despite India sharing extensive evidence in the past, Pakistan has consistently failed to prosecute those responsible.
Following India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan warned that it could consider the move an assertion of power and hinted at withdrawing from all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, which affirms the Line of Control.
These cyberattacks are the latest in a series of digital intrusions traced back to Pakistan. Previously targeted websites include those of Army Public School (APS) Srinagar, APS Ranikhet, the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) database, and the Indian Air Force Placement Organisation portal.
The increasing frequency and scale of these cyber offensives highlight a new dimension in Pakistan’s asymmetric strategy against India, further escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Also Read: Army schools, websites targetted by Pak hackers, attempts foiled
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