MoD Denies DRDO Cyberattack Reports

• Defence Ministry dismisses reports of a DRDO cyberattack as unverified.
• Officials say no evidence of active cyber attack or data exfiltration.
• Alleged leaked documents described as outdated and largely unclassified.
• Probe suggests threat actors fabricated material to create panic and earn money.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th July: The Ministry of Defence has dismissed reports of an alleged cybersecurity incident involving the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), saying there is no evidence of any active cyber attack, unauthorised network intrusion or ongoing data exfiltration.

The clarification came after some media reports claimed that a threat actor was attempting to sell a large quantity of DRDO data on the dark web following a suspected breach.

A senior official said a detailed investigation had been carried out by the concerned agencies under the Ministry of Defence and found no evidence to support claims of an active cyberattack.

“It is clarified that there is currently no evidence of any active cyber attack, unauthorised network intrusion, or ongoing data exfiltration,” the official said.

The Ministry termed reports of a cybersecurity incident involving DRDO as “incorrect and unverified.”

Officials said most of the data claimed to have been leaked is unclassified in nature and does not contain confidential information.

According to the investigation, some of the material being projected as “critical” appears to be from an old data breach dating back to 2020–2022. Officials alleged that threat actors had deliberately fabricated documents to make them appear recent and confidential.

The Ministry also said the documents cited in the alleged leak are outdated, have undergone multiple revisions and no longer reflect current systems or configurations.

Investigators further found that the same dataset was being offered for sale by multiple threat actors on the dark web, indicating that the material lacked any current operational relevance to DRDO or the Ministry of Defence.

Officials alleged that the documents had been deliberately manipulated by cybercriminals to create panic, enhance the perceived value of the data and generate financial gains through fraudulent sales.

The Ministry said the investigation into the matter has been completed and reiterated that there is no evidence of any ongoing compromise of DRDO’s networks or sensitive defence information.