In wake of the surgical strike carried out by Indian Army across the Line of Control, Indian hackers have carried out massive cyber attack on Pakistani government network and claim to have locked its data using “Ransomeware”.
Experts in India claims that “anonymous” hacker (alias name Vuppala Dhani) have infected Pakistan government systems and have taken control over hundreds of computers, making them inaccessible. The move came nearly 10 days after the Uri attack that claimed life of 20 Army officers.
Hackers from both the countries got activated and started defending the countries on cyber space. Several social media accounts active from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) also come under the scanner of Central security agencies post Uri attack.
Expert claims that Indian hacker attacked Pakistani network only after around 7,000 Indian websites were hacked by techies from Pakistan after the surgical strike.
According to reports, already a group of hackers titled Pakistan Haxors Crew has claimed that it had defaced 7,051 Indian websites after surgical strike. The websites targeted include the official website of National Green Tribunal (http:www.greentribunal.gov.in) and Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation (http:www.biharonline.gov.in.)
“To unlock their data, techies from Pakistan also paid Indian hacker in Bitcoins, but ‘patriotic’ Indian hackers refused to give decrypt key to unlock the data. He has again asked Pakistani officials to pay the amount to unlock,” a black hat hacker told.
In simple language asking bitcoins (virtual money) or money in exchange of giving decrypt key to unlock data is “extortion in cyber world” and is illegal. Such case of Ransomware has increased by many folds in India mostly targeting commercial establishment and companies where hacker using malicious software to deny users access to their computers or files until they pay a ransom.
Indian hackers have joined hand and claims that they are ready to launch massive cyber attack which can destroy neighbouring country cyber space.
They have also warned that Pakistani hackers will also retaliate and will targeted Indian based site. Indian agencies claim that they are ensuring that there is no data loss in ongoing cyber attack. Experts believe that intelligence gathering process have increased as hackers are not only defacing the sites but and silently spying into critical network.
“Indian hackers have only replied after observing malicious intention of Pakistani hackers. Techies across the border targeted Indian sites result of which NGT’s website was hacked and they are also trying to circulate fake links and videos claiming that India never carried out surgical strike intending to malign India’s image,” said Kislay Choudhary, a cyber crime expert.
Indian cyber experts believe that attacks coming from Pakistan are state sponsored but no such initiate has ever been initiated by India. “Indian hackers are more technically sound and can easily spy or steal data from any country but there is no body which has ever tried to bring young talent under one umbrella for information gathering purpose for the country,” a hacker told.
According to officers, many accounts have been active post surgical strike which are being circulated on the web for radicalisation and expanding terror network. Security agency said, they have zeroed several suspected account including account of one Salman Chaudhary, which is uploading objectionable content including videos which talks about Pakistan making nuclear attack on India. Chaudhary’s account is active since 2014 and his IP address is found active in PoK area.
Cyber crime experts have also found spurt in several videos and blogs which are claiming that India never carried our surgical strike in PoK and calls it fake.
