Pakistani Hackers Breach Indian Military and Energy Systems

ISLAMABAD, May 10, 2025 — India’s National Grid Station hacked, electricity supply suspended. In a significant escalation of cyber hostilities, a group of Pakistani hackers identifying itself as “Operation Salar” has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated cyberattacks targeting critical Indian infrastructure. These attacks reportedly compromised various sectors, including defence, energy, transportation, and government services.

Scope of the Cyber Offensive

According to statements released by the group on social media platforms, the cyberattacks encompassed the following:

• A compromise of 10 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems within India’s energy sector, potentially disrupting operations,

• Destruction of 1,744 web servers, resulting in permanent data loss.

• Shutdown of wind turbines and consumer electricity portals, affecting energy distribution.

• Complete disruption of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure of Indian Railways, Delhi Gas Discom, and Kashmir Electric Discom, with data reportedly deleted.

• Defacement and configuration changes of 120 routers and 1,310 IP cameras.

• Obliteration of 507 ICT devices and databases.

• A compromise of 15 mail servers.

• Defacement and takedown of 13 government portals.

• Theft of 150 databases containing sensitive information, which has been leaked online.

• Defacement of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Madhya Pradesh website.

• Takedown of 110 corporate websites.

• Defacement and disruption of three news channels.

These claims have not been independently verified. However, Indian authorities have acknowledged cyber intrusions targeting defence institutions. Notably, the Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, took its website offline for a comprehensive security audit following defacement attempts.

The cyberattacks appear to have strategically targeted India’s defence and energy sectors. Reports indicate that the attackers accessed sensitive data from the Military Engineer Services and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, potentially compromising personal information of defence personnel.

The energy sector, particularly SCADA systems that manage energy grids, has been a focal point of concern. Experts have previously warned about the vulnerability of these systems to cyberattacks, which could lead to widespread disruptions.