Cyber Attack Pakistan: Tensions Escalate in Cyberspace
The cyberattacks have moved beyond isolated disruptions, with malicious ads and social media bots being used to shape narratives and spread chaos, highlighting the need for enhanced digital defenses and cybersecurity measures to protect against further intrusions and destabilization efforts.
Pakistani-sponsored groups have launched high-stakes cyberattacks on Indian military websites and databases, prompting a response from pro-India hacktivist groups, which have claimed to have hacked Pakistani government and private sector databases, escalating the conflict into cyberspace.
The cyberattacks are part of a broader strategy to destabilize India, leveraging terrorism, information campaigns, and cyber warfare. Experts predict an escalation in Pakistan-backed cyber campaigns targeting Indian defence and critical infrastructure. The Indian Navy has issued a firing alert in the northern Arabian Sea amid Pakistani naval drills, while the Indian government has cleared the resumption of operations for the Army and Air Force versions of the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv.
Pakistani hackers, claiming to be part of the "Pakistan Cyber Force," have breached multiple Indian defense sites, including the website of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) and gained access to sensitive data from the Military Engineering Services (MES) and Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). The hackers defaced the AVNL website with Pakistani flag and Al Khalid tank images. Authorities have taken steps to bolster security, audit systems, and enhance digital defenses against further intrusions.
In response to the escalating tensions, India has taken several actions, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari border in Punjab, and downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan. Pakistan has retaliated by shutting its airspace to Indian flights, halting trade, and rejecting India's move on the water treaty. The conflict has also seen a rise in malicious ad placements on OTT platforms, with 70% of clients affected by misleading ads.
As the conflict continues to escalate, both countries are taking steps to assert their presence in the region. The Indian Navy has marked a designated firing zone in the northern Arabian Sea as dangerous for navigation due to ongoing firing exercises. Pakistan has issued advisories to all government departments about potential Indian cyber attacks, specifically phishing emails targeting Pakistani officials, allegedly linked to the Indian threat actor SideWinder.