Even after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop military hostilities, Indian government websites are facing a barrage of cyber attacks from the neighbouring country as well as from Bangladesh and the Middle Eastern region, Maharashtra Cyber officials said on Monday.
Officials revealed that 1.5 crore cyber attacks were carried out after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, but only 150 proved successful.
Addressing reporters, a senior official of Maharashtra Cyber debunked claims of hackers stealing data from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, hacking aviation and municipal systems, and targeting the Election Commission website.
Maharashtra Cyber is a nodal office under the Maharashtra government responsible for cybercrime investigation and maintenance of security.
“The probe discovered that cyber attacks on (government websites in) India decreased after India-Pakistan ceased hostilities, but not fully stopped. These attacks continue from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, and Middle Eastern countries,” the official said.
He said Maharashtra Cyber has launched a dedicated campaign against misinformation on social media and has taken down 38 of 83 fake news posts.
The cyber department will take action against fake news related to the armed forces and the Indian government under the “Nation First Fact First” campaign, the official added.
To spread awareness among citizens about online fraud, dedicated helplines were launched. Citizens can dial 1945 and 1930 for immediate help.
After receiving the distress call, analysts reach out to the caller, the official said, adding that around 100 phone lines are working simultaneously.
He said that 7,000 calls are received daily on both 1930 and 1945 numbers.
Cyber officials have saved Rs 600 crore since 2019 by taking timely action against cyber fraudsters. “In the last six months, Rs 200 crore has been saved”.
Meanwhile, officials said a 39-year-old CA student was arrested in Indore for allegedly insulting Hindu deities through seven accounts on X. The accused has been allegedly insulting Hindu deities since 2021.
This issue was brought to the attention of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by BJP MP Medha Kulkarni.
The official informed that Maharashtra Cyber had rescued six youths from Maharashtra trapped in cyber slavery in Laos.
The trapped youths were tortured, which involved giving electric shocks and pulling out nails, if they refused to commit cyber crimes.
He said Maharashtra Cyber had received information that 29 Indians were trapped in cyber slavery in the Southeast Asian country. (PTI)
