You get a call from an unknown number, thinking it’s just another unknown call. But that could be a phishing attempt.
In the wake of India’s recent military strikes under Operation Sindoor, the nation confirmed a formidable wave of cyberattacks orchestrated by state-sponsored hackers and hacktivist groups from Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with alleged backing from China. These cyber offensives targeted critical sectors, including defense public sector undertakings (PSUs), railways, airports, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), stock exchanges, and major conglomerates, which aims to extract sensitive defense information and disrupt national infrastructure.
Scale and Impact of the Cyberattacks
Between April 22 and May 10, 2025, over 2,500 entities were targeted, and more than 1,000 cyber incidents were reported. On May 7, a peak in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks was observed, targeting 75% of government organizations. Some sectors, such as education, finance, manufacturing, and telecommunications, were also frequently attacked. Prominent hacker groups involved included AnonSec, Keymous+, and the Iranian Vulture group.
In a specific instance, Pakistani hackers launched cyberattacks on over 1.5 million Indian websites following the Pahalgam terror attack. Seven Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups from Pakistan were identified as orchestrating these attacks. Despite the high scale, only about 150 attempts were successful, which indicates a high failure rate.
Defense Mechanisms and Mitigation Efforts.
India’s cyber defense infrastructure, spearheaded by organizations like Globals, played a key role in mitigating the impact of these cyber threats. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) proactively blocked access to their websites for international users to safeguard against potential cyber threats.
Furthermore, the Indian Army briefed defense attaches and delegates from approximately 70 countries about the successful execution of Operation Sindoor, emphasizing India’s commitment to transparency and collaboration in defense strategies.
Conclusion
Operation Sindoor highlighted the nation’s resilience against coordinated cyber threats. India’s cyber defense mechanisms ensured the protection of critical infrastructure, reinforcing the importance of robust cybersecurity frameworks in contemporary warfare.
This news throws light on a new battlefield: the digital battleground. This highlights that wars are not just limited to physical combat; they are also spread to cyberspace. The frontline is now digital, and your data might just be in the crossfire.
