DRDO, other govt websites hacked by Algerian group

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It seems that hackers have once again showcased the weakness of India’s cyber-security system. According to IANS several important government websites were hacked late on Wednesday night.  The message posted on the websites read ‘SanFour25, Algerian Hackers’ minutes after the hacking took place.

Among the sites that came under the attack were those of the prime minister’s adviser on public information, infrastructure and innovations – http://iii.gov.in, and Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) www.rac.gov.in.

Sam Pitroda is the prime minister’s adviser on public information, infrastructure and innovations, while RAC takes care of the process of scientists recruitment for the DRDO.

The cyber attackers group, said to be ‘SanFour25′, also targeted five more Indian websites and defaced them.

According to Rediff, the sites hacked include DRDO’s Recruitment and Assessment Centre, West Bengal’s police department, Directorate of Estates (Ministry of Urban Development), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, and Rehabilitation Council of India .

The biggest hack was on the site of the Recruitment and Assessment Centre operated by DRDO, which was down for over 9 hours. Image courtesy: IBN-Live

It seems that the DRDO Recruitment and Assessment Centre site was down for over nine hours. This is a particularly sensitive site as it deals with the recruitment of scientists to the several laboratories of the DRDO.

IANS quoting government sources as saying however that there were ”no secrets on these websites”.

The other important website that was hacked was Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information’s website. It seems that the authorities realised about the attack only after they stopped functioning.

The DRDO and Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information’s website site appear to be back now.