Since Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April, India is thwarting nearly 30-40 cyber attacks daily

New Delhi: India has been repelling 30-40 major cyberattacks every day since the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike, ET has learnt. The wave of attacks began with financial sector entities, before spreading and persisting across critical infrastructure in the power sector.

Cybersecurity has emerged as a key front in the ongoing standoff with Pakistan, with constant monitoring and countermeasures being deployed across multiple levels of government and infrastructure.

According to top officials, the attacks have primarily taken the form of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) - overwhelming digital services with fake traffic to disrupt operations. Attempts were also made to deface government websites and infiltrate datasets. While the attacks have been relentless, Indian agencies have successfully averted any major damage so far, thanks to fortified firewalls and layered defensive protocols.


Nonetheless, security remains on high alert. All government communication has now been brought under an enhanced security regime. Since the Pahalgam attack, CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) has issued three advisories focused on secure communication - dated April 26, May 1, and May 7.

On Saturday, the government held a key meeting with nearly 15 technology and communication stakeholders - including representatives from NASSCOM and the Data Security Council of India - to flag potential cyber threats and push for stronger security at all critical data centers. The industry was also advised to be prepared to support government efforts in protecting national cyber infrastructure.

The Department of Telecommunications has been tightening national firewall protocols for incoming data traffic. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and its units, including CERT-In, are coordinating with Indian missions abroad and domestic organizations to bolster cyber defences.

Earlier this week, around 200 Chief Security Officers were put through a cybersecurity drill.