After a deadly attack in Pahalgam on April 22, hacktivist groups from Asia, the Middle East and North Africa launched coordinated cyberattacks targeting India. Activity spiked further following India’s military operation “Sindoor” against suspected terrorist camps in Pakistan. Attacks on Indian systems rose by 500 percent while Pakistan saw a 700 percent increase. The campaign, dubbed #OpIndia, included massive DDoS attacks and website defacements. Indian government bodies were the main targets, followed by financial institutions and telecom providers.
India’s stock exchanges responded by restricting foreign IP access. Although the volume of attacks dropped after May 7, experts warn that weekends remain high-risk windows. More than 40 hacktivist groups joined the campaign, some originating far beyond South Asia, including from Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Indonesia and Vietnam. Communication and coordination took place via Telegram, with alliances forming around ideological groups like Holy League and Mysterious Team Pakistan.
Analysis from our experts
This wave of hacktivism highlights the fusion between real-world conflict and digital retaliation. The speed and scale of the attacks confirm that hacktivist campaigns are no longer symbolic gestures but structured offensives with strategic targets. DDoS and defacement remain their primary tools not because of technical limits but because disruption and visibility are the core objectives…
Read the full article here.
