Multiple independent hacktivist groups are targeting India’s elections with influence campaigns designed to sway voters’ opinions and undermine trust in the democratic process, according to a report by Resecurity. The report highlights a significant increase in cyberattacks, including the leaking of stolen personal information and misinformation campaigns. These attacks have surged by nearly 300% since the launch of the #OpIndia campaign last year, potentially indicating more significant malicious activities, possibly involving foreign interference. Sixteen different hacktivist groups, such as Anon Black Flag Indonesia, Anonymous Bangladesh, and Morocco Black Cyber Army, are implicated in targeting various sectors in India, including law enforcement, government, healthcare, financial, educational, and private sector organizations.
Resecurity’s cyber threat intelligence team noted that the Ahadun-Ahad 2.0 Team has published Indian Voter ID cards on Telegram, suspecting compromised third-party entities as the data source. Additionally, cybercriminals have stolen AADHAAR, PAN, driving licenses, and NOC documents from the Dark Web, including 36 GB of personally identifiable information (PII) of Indian citizens. This data, primarily in graphic form with victims’ selfies, could be exploited to spread false information, undermine trust in the electoral process, and profit from selling stolen information on the dark web.
Public opinion manipulation campaigns have also been observed, targeting Indian government leaders through data leaks, website defacements, and political narratives, creating social conflict between Indian and Muslim populations. The report highlights the increasing cyber threats to elections in 17 countries, raising concerns about the upcoming US general elections. To build a “cybersecure society,” the researchers emphasize the need for proper identity protection mechanisms and proactive notifications for citizens when data leaks are detected on the dark web. Detecting phony social media posts by scrutinizing catchy slogans, verifying sources, and ensuring that photos and videos are not tampered with can help mitigate the spread of misinformation.
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