Two individuals, including a minor, have been apprehended by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly hacking Indian websites and posting anti-India messages online. The arrests were made during "Operation Sindoor," a recent initiative launched in response to increased cyberattacks targeting Indian websites.
The accused have been identified as Jaseem Shahnawaz Ansari, a resident of Nadiad in the Kheda district of Gujarat, and a minor. According to officials, the pair ran a Telegram channel called 'AnonSec' (and a backup channel initially named 'EXPLOITXSEC' and 'ELITEXPLOIT') where they shared evidence of their hacking activities. The ATS received information about the channel and the anti-national activities being carried out through it, leading to the arrest of Ansari and his accomplice.
Investigations revealed that the accused had been actively attempting to disrupt Indian websites. They reportedly targeted nearly 50 government websites, including the Aadhaar card portal, over the past six months, using hacking tools and posting screenshots of the affected websites on their Telegram group accompanied by anti-India messages. One such message read, "Hi India, we just took down your financial shield and servers." The websites targeted spanned critical sectors, including defense, finance, aviation, urban development institutions, and state government portals. The accused had also tried to take down at least 20 government websites on May 7th.
Despite having failed Class 12, the duo reportedly acquired significant hacking and cyber skills within a short span of 6 to 8 months. They learned hacking techniques from YouTube and utilized tools downloaded from GitHub. They deployed applications like TERMUX and PYDROID3 to execute Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, which overwhelm servers with malicious traffic, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users. The suspects also learned the Python programming language and used tools like Pydroid and Termux to execute their attacks. They cloned DDoS attack tools from GitHub and modified them to target specific websites.
The Gujarat ATS is currently investigating whether any sensitive Indian data was accessed or shared with entities in Pakistan during these cyberattacks. They are also probing the full extent of the cyberattack and the network involved. The accused have been booked under sections 43 and 66(f) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cyber terrorism-related offenses.
This arrest comes amid a backdrop of rising cybercrime cases in Gujarat. In 2023, the state recorded approximately 1.21 lakh cyber fraud complaints, resulting in financial losses totaling ₹650.53 crore. This incident highlights the increasing sophistication and reach of cyber fraud and the need for heightened vigilance and cybersecurity measures. The arrest also underscores the concern about online radicalization, as officials suggested that the accused individuals had turned "anti-national" due to online influences.
The minor will be processed according to the Juvenile Justice Act, while Ansari faces further legal proceedings. The Gujarat ATS continues its investigation to uncover the full scope of the cyberattacks and any potential involvement of other individuals or groups.
