Home ministry website hacked

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 13, 2017, DHNS: Hackers on Sunday targeted the official website of the ministry of home affairs, prompting authorities to temporarily block it for further examination.

Immediately after the hacking attempts were spotted by experts, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) blocked the site, officials told DH. Computer-emergency response teams are looking into the incident.

Established in 1976, NIC is the ‘prime builder’ of e-Government and e-Governance applications, as well as a promoter of digital opportunities for sustainable development.

“The website had technical problems, which NIC will set right by late (Sunday) evening,” a ministry spokesperson said.

Recent incidents

Last month, Pakistan-affiliated operatives had hacked the website of the National Security Guard and defaced it.

According to official data, 707 websites — 189 in 2013, 155 in 2014, 164 in 2015 and 199 in 2016 — of various central and state government departments were hacked in the past four years, and 8,348 people were arrested for their involvement in cyber crimes. It said 315 people were convicted during 2014-15.

On February 7, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir had said in the Lok Sabha that the government has taken several policies and legal and technical measures to address the issue.

These include auditing of the system and networks, increasing awareness in the area of cyber security, sharing threat-related information with the stakeholders/ organizations, issuing advisories from CERT-IN and National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and the increase of capacity to address this issue.