* Pakistani-Backed Groups Target Indian Digital Infrastructure*
New Delhi: In the aftermath of India’s cross-border military offensive Operation Sindoor and subsequent strikes on Islamabad-backed terror hubs, cyber warfare has taken center stage as tensions continue to escalate between India and Pakistan.
According to intelligence reports, coordinated cyberattacks have been launched against Indian digital systems by state-sponsored hackers and hacktivist groups originating from Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia — with technical and strategic backing from China. These groups have targeted India’s critical digital infrastructure in what appears to be a concerted campaign to destabilize and embarrass the nation.
Cyberattacks have been directed at Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), their MSME partners, and vital infrastructure including ports, airports, power grids, Indian Railways, telecom networks such as BSNL, fintech platforms like UPI, digital wallets, stock exchanges, and large Indian conglomerates involved in infrastructure projects. The motive behind the attacks, according to sources, is to extract sensitive data — particularly related to India’s missile systems — and to undermine national security through psychological and digital disruption.
Interpol trainer and cyber forensic expert Pendyala Krishna Shastry confirmed that these cyber intrusions are part of a broader Pakistani digital offensive targeting India’s economic and defence ecosystem. He noted the use of malware, phishing campaigns, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks as key strategies employed by the attackers.
Meanwhile, Zone-H, a global tracker of cyber defacements, reported breaches of Indian government websites. Notably, the website of the National Institute of Water Sports (niws.nic.in) was defaced, and the domain nationaltrust.nic.in was compromised but has since been restored.
A particularly alarming incident occurred on Tuesday when the website of Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) malfunctioned. A message from a group calling itself “Mr Habib 404 – Pakistani Cyber Force” appeared, taunting Indian cyber defences with the words: “You thought you were safe, but we are here.” Despite the provocative message, CCL officials have refrained from confirming it as a cyberattack. CCL’s Public Relations Officer, Alok Gupta, stated that the site had been restored and no data was lost or tampered with, suggesting a possible technical issue rather than a confirmed breach.
These developments come in the wake of failed but aggressive drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, which were neutralized by Indian defence systems following Operation Sindoor. Indian retaliatory action reportedly caused substantial damage to Pakistani military infrastructure.
With cyberattacks now forming a crucial front in this multi-dimensional conflict, Indian authorities are ramping up digital defences while maintaining a heightened state of alert across all sectors.
