Defence Secretary meets Prime Minister; more cyberattacks from Pakistan-based groups-OxBig News Network

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. File.

In a continuation of top Defence Ministry officials meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Mr. Modi at his residence on Monday (May 5, 2025), according to official sources.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that a group known as ‘Pakistan Cyber Force’ had gained access to sensitive data from the websites of Indian Military Engineering Service (MES) and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (MPIDSA) and defaced the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a defence public sector undertaking.

The cyberattacks come amid heightened tensions between the two countries, heavy deployment by the Pakistan Army along the border and the tensions also spilling into the social media space.

It has come to attention via the ‘X’ account ‘Pakistan Cyber Force’ that the group has allegedly gained access to sensitive data from the Indian MES and MPIDSA, defence sources in the know said. “This claim suggests that the attackers may have compromised personal information related to defence persons, including the login credentials,” a source said. In addition, the group also attempted to deface the official website of AVNL, which was defaced by using the Pakistan flag and Al-Khalid battle tank.

As a precautionary measure, the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited has been taken offline for a thorough and deliberate audit, in order to assess the extent of any potential damage caused by the defacement attempt and to ensure the integrity of the website, the source stated. “Furthermore, cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any additional cyberattacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors linked to Pakistan.”

This ongoing surveillance aims to quickly identify and mitigate any future risks posed by these cyberattackers, the source observed stating that in response, appropriate and necessary measures are being taken to bolster the security infrastructure, strengthen digital defences, and safeguard against further intrusion attempts.

These efforts are focused on enhancing the overall resilience of online platforms and ensuring that the forces are better prepared to defend against future cyber threats, the sources added.

Since the uptick of tensions between the two countries, there have been earlier cyberattack attempts on Army-affiliated institutions.