15 lakh cyberattacks traced to foreign APT groups after Pahalgam terror strike

Maharashtra Cyber officials have uncovered a major wave of cyberattacks on India’s critical infrastructure, with over 15 lakh attempts traced to seven Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups. These groups are mainly linked to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and parts of the Middle East. The surge in attacks began after the April 22 Pahalgam terror incident and continued even after a ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan.

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Despite the sheer volume, only 150 attacks were successful. Officials confirmed that vital systems, including Mumbai’s international airport, aviation networks, municipal servers, and the Election Commission remained unaffected. The findings are part of a new report titled “Road of Sindoor”, submitted to key security agencies. It builds on an earlier report, “Echoes of Pahalgam”, which explored cyber threats following the Pahalgam attack.

The latest report identifies seven hacking groups involved, including APT 36, Pakistan Cyber Force, Team Insane PK, and Mysterious Bangladesh. Their methods included malware deployment, DDoS attacks, GPS spoofing, and website defacement. Among the confirmed breaches were the websites of the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council and the Defence Nursing College in Jalandhar.

Additionally, officials debunked false claims by Pakistan-linked groups about hacking India’s banking systems and causing power outages. Maharashtra Cyber has also removed over 5,000 fake posts and flagged 80 items of misinformation.