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In May 2025, cybersecurity experts reported a significant surge in hacktivist activity targeting Indian digital infrastructure. This wave of attacks followed the terror attack in Pahalgam, located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22nd, and India’s retaliatory strikes across the border. A coordinated effort by more than 40 hacktivist groups sought to disrupt and deface numerous Indian websites, leading to widespread alarm across media and social networks as many claimed significant breaches of government, educational, and critical infrastructure websites.

However, detailed technical investigations revealed that the actual impact of these attacks on Indian cyber assets was minimal. Claims of major data breaches, such as a supposed 247 GB breach of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), were largely unfounded as the data was publicly available or fabricated. Website defacements and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, while numerous, were short-lived and ineffective.

Despite the relatively low impact, the cyberattacks highlighted the ongoing tensions in cyberspace between India and Pakistan. Technisanct identified 36 pro-Pakistan hacktivist groups involved in the digital assaults, countered by 14 Indian groups retaliating. The escalation in hacktivist activity serves as a reminder of the persistent and evolving cyber threats facing both nations, even amidst military tensions.


References :

• cyble.com: More than 40 hacktivist groups conducted coordinated cyberattacks against India following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which in turn prompted India to respond with targeted strikes aimed at alleged terrorist infrastructure across the border and the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir region (PoK).
• thecyberexpress.com: Over 40 Hacktivist Groups Target India in Coordinated Cyber Campaign: High Noise, Low Impact
• Secure Bulletin: Tactical reality behind the India-Pakistan hacktivist surge
• securebulletin.com: Tactical reality behind the India-Pakistan hacktivist surge
• cyble.com: India Experiences Surge in Hacktivist Group Activity Amid Military Tensions
• thecyberexpress.com: No Ceasefire in the Cyberspace Between India and Pakistan
• www.cysecurity.news: Cyber War Escalates Between Indian and Pakistani Hacktivists After Pahalgam Attack

Classification:

• HashTags: #Hacktivism #CyberWar #IndiaPakistan
• Company: Cyble
• Target: Indian Infrastructure
• Attacker: Pakistan-aligned APT groups
• Product: Cyble Research
• Feature: DDoS Attacks
• Malware: Dance of the Hillary
• Type: Hacktivism
• Severity: Medium