Pakistan cyber groups attempt to breach Indian defence sites, sensitive personnel data exposed

Pakistani cyber groups launched coordinated hacking attempts on Indian defence institutions, compromising sensitive information of military personnel and targeting critical websites, the Indian Army said on Monday, amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.

According to the Army, a group operating under the handle ‘Pakistan Cyber Force’ allegedly accessed sensitive data, including login credentials, from the Military Engineer Services and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis.

The Army further said that the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited, a defence Public Sector Undertaking, was targeted for defacement using Pakistan’s national flag and images of the Al Khalid tank. “As a precautionary measure, the Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited's website has been taken offline for a thorough and deliberate audit to assess the extent of any potential damage caused by the defacement attempt and to ensure the integrity of the website,” the Army said.

Cybersecurity experts are now on high alert. “Cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any additional cyber attacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors linked to Pakistan,” the Army said. “The ongoing surveillance aims to quickly identify and mitigate any future risks posed by these cyber attackers.”

In response, the Army stated that "appropriate and necessary measures are being taken to bolster the security infrastructure, strengthen digital defenses, and safeguard against further intrusion attempts." The steps are aimed at enhancing resilience across military digital systems and ensuring better preparedness for future threats.

The cyber attacks come in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike, where 26 people were killed, triggering a wave of retaliatory steps by India. Multiple Pakistani hacker groups have since escalated digital offensives, targeting not just defence websites but also those linked to civilians and veterans.

Earlier incidents included attempts by groups such as ‘Cyber Group HOAX1337’ and ‘National Cyber Crew’ to deface websites of Army Public Schools in Jammu with derogatory messages referencing the Pahalgam victims. A separate attack compromised a healthcare portal for ex-servicemen, while websites of the Army Institute of Hotel Management and Indian Air Force veterans were also hit.

The Army also confirmed that a breach attempt by the Pakistani group ‘IOK Hacker’—which targeted public-facing sites such as Army Public School Srinagar and Ranikhet, Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO), and the Indian Air Force's placement portal—was successfully foiled.

Despite the attacks, officials noted that India’s defence cybersecurity framework remains robust. With real-time monitoring systems and strong digital firewalls, several intrusion attempts were blocked before any substantial data could be extracted.

Defence officials have warned that these cyber attacks are not just technical breaches but psychological operations aimed at demoralising and destabilising institutions.