Army bolsters cybersecurity infra after website intrusion cases

Amid attempts to hack and compromise multiple websites, including of Army Welfare Education Society-linked institutions, in the past few days, the Indian Army is taking “appropriate and necessary” measures to bolster cybersecurity infrastructure and strengthen digital defence mechanisms, sources said on Monday.

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At least two members of the senior management categorically dismissed social media claims that the website of Delhi-based think-tank Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses had been “hacked”.

Cyberattacks targeting several Indian websites, especially of academic institutions, have been reported in recent days, particularly after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

At least four Army Public Schools (APS), including APS Nagrota and APS Sunjuwan, were targeted by hackers, a source said.

The websites of APS Nagrota and APS Sunjuwan, located in Jammu and Kashmir, were down on Monday evening.

The website of a PSU under the Defence Ministry was also down. However, there is no official word on the reason for it being down.

Tension between India and Pakistan are on the rise following the Pahalgam attack.

On April 25, the Army College of Nursing website was hacked and defaced with graphic visuals.

The website was still down on Monday evening.

The landing page had carried a banner with a line on top—“YOU ARE HACKED !!! TEAM INSANE PK”—on the day of the hacking. Below it was a disturbing image associated with the April 22 attack.

Army Public Schools and the Army College of Nursing are autonomous institutions administered by the Army Welfare Education Society.

The Army College of Nursing is located in Jalandhar Cantonment.

In response to these cyberattacks, “appropriate and necessary measures” are being taken to “bolster” cybersecurity infrastructure, “strengthen digital defence” mechanisms to safeguard against further “intrusion attempts”, the sources said.

These efforts are focussed on “enhancing the overall resilience” of online platforms and ensuring that forces are “better prepared to defend against future cyber threats,” another source said.

Furthermore, “cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace” to detect any additional cyberattacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors having alleged cross-border link.

The Rajasthan education department website was recently hacked with a message mocking the Indian establishment over the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan on its home page.

The hackers had also posted objectionable content on the Pahalgam attack.