NEW DELHI: Cyberattacks originating from Pakistan have seen a fresh surge, with a major Indian defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) website defaced and Pakistani hacker group “Pakistan Cyber Force” claiming to have accessed sensitive data from key defence institutions.
The group has allegedly compromised personal data, including login credentials, of defence personnel associated with the Military Engineering Services (MES) and the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA).
“In addition to the data breach, the hackers defaced the official website of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), displaying images of the Pakistan flag and the Al Khalid tank,” a senior official confirmed on Monday.
In response, the AVNL website has been taken offline to undergo a comprehensive security audit. Cybersecurity teams and intelligence agencies are now working to assess the breach’s scope and strengthen defences against further attacks.
“Specialist teams are actively monitoring for any additional threats linked to Pakistan-based actors. This surveillance is critical for early detection and mitigation of cyber risks,” the official said.
Authorities have emphasized that robust countermeasures are being implemented to reinforce digital infrastructure and improve resilience across defence networks. “Our ongoing efforts are aimed at securing critical systems and preparing our forces to effectively respond to future cyber threats,” he added.
This latest breach follows earlier attempts by Pakistan-based cyber operatives to deface web pages and harvest personal data from Indian armed forces’ welfare and educational websites. Those attempts, which occurred soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, were swiftly contained through prompt intervention.
