India’s defence portals face cyber-attack, Pakistan group claims to have hacked many websites

Pakistan-based hackers, Pakistan Cyber Force, claimed to have breached Indian defence websites, compromising sensitive data. They targeted Military Engineering Services, Manohar Parrikar Institute, and Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, prompting heightened security measures

New Delhi:  While the relations between India and Pakistan hit rock bottom after the Pahalgam attack, a group of Pakistan-based hackers on Monday claimed to have breached the websites of multiple Indian defence institutions, leaving sensitive data compromised.

The hacker group, describing itself as the Pakistan Cyber Force, claimed that it has hacked the portals of leading defence establishments, including the Indian Military Engineering Services, the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, and other websites. Pakistan Cyber Force, a handle on X, claimed that hackers got access to sensitive data pertaining to defence personnel and also their login details.

The group also attempted to take control of the websites of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. The Pakistan Cyber Force also posted images of the webpage from Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, where an Indian tank’s photograph has allegedly been replaced by a Pakistani tank.

“Your armoured factory is now owned by Pakistan, courtesy Pakistan Cyber Force,” it wrote. Meanwhile, the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited is understood to have been taken offline for a thorough audit to assess the extent of any potential damage due to hacking, said reports.

In another post, it claimed to have hacked data and details of Military Engineer Services personnel. It also wrote, “Hacked. Your security is an illusion.

MES data owned.” It also claims to have accessed 10 GB of data pertaining to 1,600 users on the website of Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis. While the security experts have swung into action and are analysing details to prepare a fool-proof mechanism to ward off any such cyberattack from across the border, the security of Jammu-based prisons has been put on heightened alert following inputs about a possible attack to secure the release of dreaded gangsters jailed there.