India NIA expands probe into cyber attacks on 54 government websites

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has expanded its investigation into an attempted cyber terrorism campaign that targeted 54 Indian central government websites during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The attacks, characterized as sophisticated Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attempts, aimed to disrupt critical information infrastructure and undermine national sovereignty and security.

Following searches conducted on August 24 across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Bihar, and Delhi, investigators seized laptops, mobile phones, and other digital devices containing allegedly incriminating material. The probe follows the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military response known as Operation Sindoor.

Earlier investigations by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad identified 18-year-old Jasim Shahnawaz Ansari and a juvenile as being involved in the attempts to target government digital resources. The NIA is currently examining individuals identified through technical analysis who allegedly provided assistance to the accused.