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Amid heightened tensions following the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, suspected Pakistani hackers have launched a wave of cyber attacks on Indian defence websites. Defence establishment sources revealed that these intrusions may have exposed sensitive data, including login credentials of defence personnel.
A handle operating on X under the name Pakistan Cyber Force has claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that it accessed confidential data from the Military Engineer Services (MES) and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA).
Key Websites Targeted
Hackers also attempted to deface the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a defence public sector undertaking.
In response, authorities took the website offline to conduct a detailed security audit and assess the extent of the breach.
One of the posts shared by the Pakistan Cyber Force handle displayed a manipulated image where an Indian tank was replaced with a Pakistani one.
Another showed what appeared to be a list of Indian defence personnel, alongside the caption: “Hacked. Your security is illusion. MES data owned.”
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The handle further claimed to have accessed over 10 GB of data from 1,600 users on the MP-IDSA website. Indian authorities have since blocked the handle within India.
In light of these breaches, Indian cybersecurity teams have ramped up monitoring across digital defence infrastructure.
Sources confirmed that experts are tracking cyberspace activity closely, particularly for any signs of state-sponsored attacks originating from Pakistan.
Defence officials are also implementing new measures to bolster digital security and prevent further intrusions.
Diplomatic Fallout And Escalation
The cyber attacks come in the wake of the Pahalgam massacre, where terrorists gunned down 25 tourists and a local Kashmiri in cold blood.
The Resistance Front, widely regarded as a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the carnage.
India has responded with strong diplomatic and strategic measures.
The government suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals and put the Indus Waters Treaty on hold—a treaty considered sacrosanct for decades.
New Delhi has also conducted a series of high-level meetings, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and top defence officials exploring potential escalatory responses.
Pakistan Repeats Denials
Meanwhile, Pakistan has returned to its standard narrative, denying any involvement and demanding evidence.
This mirrors its reaction to previous terror incidents, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, where evidence presented by Indian authorities led to little accountability across the border.
Following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan warned that it would consider such a move an act of aggression and threatened to walk away from all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, which upholds the Line of Control.
This is not the first time Pakistan-linked actors have targeted Indian defence networks. In recent years, cyber attackers have breached the websites of Army Public School Srinagar, APS Ranikhet, the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO), and the Indian Air Force Placement Organisation.
As India continues to investigate the Pahalgam attack and the growing digital threats, it appears that conflict between the two nations is expanding beyond borders and into the digital realm.
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