The group’s social media posts alleged that it had exfiltrated login credentials and personal data associated with defence personnel.
One particularly alarming development was the defacement of the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a key PSU under the Ministry of Defence. The hackers replaced the homepage with the Pakistani flag and an image of the Al Khalid tank, a symbol of Pakistan’s military capabilities. A message reportedly posted on social platform X read, “Hacked. Your security is illusion. MES data owned,” followed by a list of names allegedly linked to Indian defence staff.
Sources quoted by ANI indicated that there is a credible concern that personal data of military personnel may have been compromised during the breach. In response, authorities promptly took the AVNL website offline to prevent further exploitation and launched a full-scale forensic audit to assess the scope of the intrusion and restore digital integrity.
Cybersecurity experts are currently monitoring for further signs of intrusion, especially in light of repeated cyber threats and defacement attempts linked to Pakistani-sponsored groups.
The ongoing tensions between the two countries have only heightened the frequency and severity of such state-aligned cyber operations.
This latest attack follows a pattern of provocative cyber incidents, with Pakistani hacker groups increasingly targeting sensitive Indian assets in attempts to undermine national security and sow discord. Intelligence sources are treating the incident as part of a broader information warfare campaign and have emphasized the need for heightened vigilance and improved cyber defense strategies.
Authorities continue to investigate the breach while urging government departments and defense agencies to reinforce their cybersecurity posture amid rising digital threats in the region.
