Experts actively monitor cyberspace after claims made on X of gaining access to military website

Srinagar: Cyber security experts and security agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any cyber attacks after a handle on X claimed to have gained access to sensitive data from the Indian Military Engineering Service and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, officials said.

The development comes amid tense situations in India and Pakistan in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 in which at least 25 tourists and a local person were brutally killed.

"It has come to attention via the Twitter account 'Pakistan Cyber Force' that the group has allegedly gained access to sensitive data from the Indian Military Engineering Service and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis. This claim suggests that the attackers may have compromised personal information related to defence persons, including the login credentials," the officials said.

"As a precautionary measure, the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited has been taken offline for a thorough and deliberate audit in order to assess the extent of any potential damage caused by the defacement attempt and to ensure the integrity of the website," they said.

In addition to this data breach, it has also been reported that the group also attempted to deface the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited, a PSU company under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The website has been defaced by using the Pakistan flag and 'Al Khalid' tank, the officials said.

"Furthermore, 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," they added.

This ongoing surveillance aims to quickly identify and mitigate any future risks posed by these cyber attackers, the officials said.

In response to the situation, appropriate and necessary measures are being taken to bolster the security infrastructure, strengthen digital defences and safeguard against further intrusion attempts, they said, adding these efforts are focused on enhancing the overall resilience of online platforms and ensuring that forces are better prepared to defend against future cyber threats.