Over 15 Lakh Cyber Attacks Targeted Indian Infrastructure After Pahalgam Terror Strike: Maharashtra Cyber

Maharashtra Cyber has identified seven Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups responsible for launching over 15 lakh cyber attacks on critical infrastructure websites across India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Officials said on Monday that only 150 of these attacks were successful.

Despite an understanding between India and Pakistan to stop military hostilities, Indian government websites continue to face cyber attacks. These attacks are believed to originate not only from Pakistan but also from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, and other Middle Eastern countries.

A senior official from Maharashtra Cyber dismissed rumors that hackers had accessed data from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai or breached aviation, municipal, and Election Commission systems.

According to the agency, cyber attacks reduced after India and Pakistan agreed to cease hostilities, but the attacks have not stopped completely.

The findings are part of a detailed report titled ‘Road of Sindoor’, prepared by Maharashtra Cyber as a follow-up to its earlier report ‘Echoes of Pahalgam’. This report was shared with top law enforcement agencies, including the Director General of Police and the State Intelligence Department.

Yashasvi Yadav, Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, said the cyber attacks mainly came from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Middle East, and Indonesia. The attacks involved malware, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, GPS spoofing, and website defacements.

Out of the 150 successful attacks, one included the defacement of the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council website. Attackers also claimed to have stolen data from Mumbai airport and telecom companies, with some of this data reportedly seen on the darknet. The Defence Nursing College website in Jalandhar was also defaced.

The report highlights that these hacking groups are using hybrid warfare tactics, including spreading misinformation. They falsely claimed to have hacked India's banking system, caused blackouts, and attacked key defense facilities.

Maharashtra Cyber has identified and taken down over 5,000 instances of fake news and misinformation on social media related to India-Pakistan tensions. Of 80 specific cases flagged for removal, 35 have been taken down, while 45 are pending action.

The seven groups named in the report include 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).

Authorities have urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official sources for news.