Pakistani Hackers Deface Indian News Site

The ABP News defacement was claimed by a group identifying as the 'Pakistan Cyber Force' on March 2, 2026. This act was framed as a direct retaliation for cyberattacks on Pakistani news channels, including Geo News, which were breached a day earlier with messages critical of the Pakistani military. The attackers replaced the Indian news site's content with slogans such as "Pakistan Zindabad" (Long Live Pakistan) and broadcasted excerpts of a speech by Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. This incident is part of a long-running, low-intensity cyber conflict between Indian and Pakistani hacktivist groups. These tit-for-tat attacks often escalate in response to real-world political and military tensions, with government and media websites being primary targets for both sides. Past flare-ups have coincided with events like the anniversary of the Mumbai attacks or conflicts in the Kashmir region. Groups like the Pakistan Cyber Force and its predecessor, the Pakistan Cyber Army (PCA), have been active since at least the late 2000s. Their operations typically involve website defacements intended as a form of digital protest and nationalist expression rather than causing significant, lasting damage. These groups often use publicly available tools and exploit known vulnerabilities to carry out their attacks. The technical methods behind such defacements often involve exploiting common web application vulnerabilities. Attackers frequently target a website's Content Management System (CMS), which is the software used to create and manage digital content. Platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal are common targets, especially if they are not kept up-to-date with the latest security patches. Common attack vectors for website defacement include SQL injection (SQLi) and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). SQLi attacks manipulate a site's database through vulnerable input fields, potentially allowing an attacker to alter content. XSS involves injecting malicious scripts into a website, which can then be used to modify the site's appearance or redirect users. Another prevalent technique is compromising administrative credentials through brute-force attacks or by exploiting weak or leaked passwords. Once an attacker gains administrative access to the CMS, they can easily upload their own content and replace the website's legitimate homepage. In many cases, these attacks are automated, with bots scanning thousands of websites for specific, unpatched vulnerabilities.