Cybersecurity Under Siege: Indian Army Strengthens Digital Defenses Amid Rising Threats
Strengthening Cybersecurity Measures
New Delhi: In light of recent hacking attempts targeting various websites, including those linked to the Army Welfare Education Society, the Indian Army is implementing crucial measures to enhance its cybersecurity framework and reinforce its digital defense systems, as reported on Monday.
Two senior officials have firmly rejected rumors circulating on social media regarding the hacking of the Delhi-based Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
Recent days have seen a surge in cyberattacks aimed at numerous Indian websites, particularly academic institutions, following the Pahalgam incident on April 22.
Sources indicate that hackers have targeted at least four Army Public Schools (APS), including APS Nagrota and APS Sunjuwan.
As of Monday evening, the websites for APS Nagrota and APS Sunjuwan, situated in Jammu and Kashmir, were reported to be offline.
Additionally, a public sector unit website under the Defence Ministry was also down, although no official explanation has been provided.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.
On April 25, the Army College of Nursing's website was compromised and defaced with disturbing visuals.
As of Monday evening, this website remained inaccessible.
The defaced landing page displayed a banner stating, "YOU ARE HACKED !!! TEAM INSANE PK," accompanied by a graphic related to the April 22 attack.
Both the Army Public Schools and the Army College of Nursing operate independently under the Army Welfare Education Society.
The Army College of Nursing is located in Jalandhar Cantonment.
In response to these cyber threats, the Army is taking "appropriate and necessary measures" to enhance its cybersecurity infrastructure and strengthen its digital defense mechanisms to prevent further intrusion attempts.
These initiatives aim to improve the overall resilience of online platforms and ensure that the forces are better equipped to counter future cyber threats, according to another source.
Moreover, cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively surveilling cyberspace to identify any further cyberattacks, particularly those potentially linked to cross-border threat actors.
Recently, the Rajasthan education department's website was hacked, featuring a message that mocked the Indian government regarding the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force officer Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan.
The hackers also posted inappropriate content related to the Pahalgam attack.