India has once again successfully defended against a co-ordinated cyber offensive launched by Pakistan-based hackers, in a fresh attempt to compromise the country’s digital security infrastructure.
According to intelligence inputs shared with news agencies, Indian authorities have identified four recent incidents linked to the same cyber threat actors. These attacks mark a shift in focus towards publicly accessible platforms, as critical Indian systems continue to remain well-guarded against such intrusions.
The hacking group, identifying itself as "IOK Hacker"—short for Internet of Khilafah—aimed to deface websites, disrupt online services, and harvest personal information. The attacks were quickly detected and neutralised by India’s robust, multi-tiered cybersecurity defense network, which successfully traced the origin of the intrusions to Pakistan in real-time.
Indian officials described "IOK Hacker" as a new front in Pakistan’s cyber operations, paralleling the country’s daily ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC). The group’s activities are seen as an extension of broader destabilisation efforts targeting India.
As part of their cyber assault, the hackers carried out coordinated attacks on the websites of Army Public School (APS) Srinagar and APS Ranikhet, posting provocative propaganda. A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack was also launched against the APS Srinagar portal in an effort to crash the site.
In addition to these, the hackers attempted unauthorised access to the database of the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO), while also trying to compromise the Indian Air Force Placement Organisation’s web portal.
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Cybersecurity officials confirmed that all four targeted websites were promptly taken offline and underwent immediate restorative procedures. Importantly, no classified or mission-critical systems were impacted, reflecting the effectiveness of existing cybersecurity protocols.
These attacks, officials emphasised, demonstrate the attackers’ intent but also their failure to inflict any serious damage on India’s defense digital infrastructure.
Simultaneously, tensions remain high along the Line of Control. On the night of April 28–29, Pakistani forces initiated unprovoked small arms fire in multiple sectors across Jammu and Kashmir, including areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, and Akhnoor. The Indian Army responded "swiftly and effectively" to the provocation, according to defense officials.
“This marks the fifth consecutive day of effective retaliation by Indian forces since Pakistan began unprovoked firing on the night of April 25–26,” an Indian Army official stated. Similar ceasefire violations were also reported during the night of April 27–28 near Kupwara and Poonch.
These cyber and military provocations follow the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. In response, the Indian Army has intensified counter-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley, maintaining heightened alertness amid the evolving threat landscape.
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