On November 27, 2024, the official website of India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare was reportedly hacked to promote U31, a major Thai online gambling platform. When users tried to access the ministry’s website, they were instead greeted with a banner promoting U31’s gambling services. The page displayed a message that the website was temporarily unavailable due to “scheduled maintenance” between 11 AM and 10 PM on November 28. This unexpected disruption raised suspicions about the true nature of the downtime, as the website appeared to have been compromised by a third-party entity.
The hack has drawn attention due to the involvement of a gambling platform, U31, which refers to itself as “Asia’s biggest brand” in online gambling. This breach comes on the heels of a similar cyberattack earlier in November, in which the website of senior BJP leader Vijay Goel was targeted by an online betting platform, Piraslot. Goel had been vocal in his opposition to online gambling, which he argued could lead to financial instability and family crises. The timing of both attacks has led to speculation that gambling companies may be retaliating against critics or attempting to silence those who advocate for regulatory oversight.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has yet to confirm whether the breach was indeed carried out by a gambling platform. Media outlets have sought clarification from the ministry, including questions about the exact timeline of the attack, measures taken to regain control of the website, and whether law enforcement has been notified. Additionally, there is uncertainty about whether the scheduled maintenance was related to the hack itself or if it was a cover for the cyberattack. These unanswered questions highlight the need for transparency from government officials when responding to such incidents.
This cyberattack is part of a growing trend of cybercrime targeting Indian government institutions. In 2022, it was revealed that over 50 Union government websites had suffered cyberattacks, and several data breaches were reported by governmental organizations. The increase in cyberattacks against officials, especially those speaking out against controversial industries like online gambling, underscores the vulnerabilities in India’s cybersecurity infrastructure. As the Ministry of Agriculture works to resolve the issue, there are calls for stronger measures to protect government websites and prevent such attacks from recurring in the future.
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