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A group identifying as the Indian Cyber Force has claimed to have hacked into the internal systems of Habib Bank Limited (HBL). The hackers claimed on LinkedIn, Reddit, and Telegram to have extracted sensitive HR-related data, including employee records, bank account details, education history, salaries, and internal documents. A “sample.zip” file (6.6 MB) was shared as supposed proof, with the note: “Password: You know it.”
The alleged breach comes just hours after the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (nCERT) issued a high-priority Cybersecurity Advisory 2025, warning of a potential cyber threat from India. The advisory called for immediate defensive action across critical sectors, as regional digital tensions continue to escalate.
Despite the dramatic claims, Pakistanis on social media aren’t buying it, and are instead using humor to dismantle what they see as overblown propaganda. On Reddit and LinkedIn, users responded with biting sarcasm. “HBL has been hacked by our own before. Even if they did hack it, it’s no achievement,” one person said.
“So basically, they got into their HR system? And got info most people would have on their LinkedIn anyway (except salary)
Another chimed in adding: “It is personal data, but mostly public. You can’t do much with it except perhaps trigger an internal HR nightmare revealing everyone’s salary.”
“Claims to have hacked bank. Proceeds to leak data on Telegram which now gives data to the authorities. Clearly lacking in the IQ department,” another added.
So far, no official confirmation has come from HBL or Pakistani authorities, and the legitimacy of the data remains unverified. The incident has sparked more memes than concern, with many Pakistanis viewing it as another episode in a series of online jingoism and psychological theatrics rather than an actual cybersecurity threat.
The situation echoes previous incidents — such as the 2015 HBL ATM skimming hack — but this time, the damage appears to be reputational rather than financial, and primarily confined to LinkedIn flexing and Telegram theatrics.
