The Army College of Nursing website in New Delhi was hacked days after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The cyberattack was attributed to the Pakistan-based hacker group Team Insane PK, who posted an inflammatory message on the homepage. The hack follows heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with India recently announcing retaliatory measures against Pakistan. These measures include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking Pakistani visas, and expelling defense advisors from the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.
Team Insane PK has been known for targeting Indian government websites in the past, particularly ahead of the 2023 G20 summit in India. Their attacks have included Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults and defacing websites of various institutions and companies. The hacker group gained notoriety for its 2024 cyberattack on Burger Singh after the restaurant chain issued a promo code that sparked geopolitical controversy. Burger Singh responded humorously, embracing the attack as part of their brand’s narrative and leaving the digital graffiti for a day.
The Army College of Nursing, an autonomous institution administered by the Army Welfare Education Society, was forced to seek assistance from the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) after the attack. The hackers’ inflammatory message on the website referenced the two-nation theory, further escalating tensions. Army sources confirmed that while the institution is independent, it will need external support to address the breach effectively.
The ongoing geopolitical situation between India and Pakistan has intensified cyber activity, with hacker groups like Team Insane PK using digital platforms to fuel their political messages. This attack on the Army College of Nursing’s website follows a pattern of cyber incidents linked to rising political tensions. The Indian government continues to monitor and respond to these threats, working closely with CERT-In to secure its infrastructure.
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