Cyber Incident Victim: National University of Modern Languages
Date:
Oct 2014
Location:
Pakistan
Summary
A group identifying as "The Mallu Soldiers" hacked the National University of Modern Languages, Lahore, posting a warning related to the Kashmir conflict alongside retaliatory messages following the defacement of Indian actor Mohanlal's website by pro-separatist hackers displaying Pakistani flags. The same group compromised the Pakistan Electric Power Company's website, featuring the actor's image and film dialogue, while another hacker collective called "Indian Hackers Online Squad" targeted the Pakistan People's Party's site with Indian flags and mocking content directed at its leadership. These coordinated attacks escalated into broader online clashes between the actor's supporters and Pakistani users, with multiple websites experiencing unauthorized access and political messaging before recovery efforts commenced.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On October 8, 2014, unidentified hackers identifying as "Cyber Warriors" breached the official blog of Indian actor Mohanlal, "Thecompleteactor.com," replacing its content with a Pakistan flag image and separatist slogans advocating "Free Kashmir." The attackers issued warnings directed at the Indian Army regarding its activities in Kashmir and declared intentions to target financial systems and government organizations. Mohanlal reported the incident to local authorities, including the Director General of Police (DGP) and cyber cell units, via email. The website was restored within hours, but the incident triggered retaliatory cyberattacks by the actor’s supporters.
The following day, October 9, a group calling itself "The Mallu Soldiers"—allegedly based in Kerala, India—hacked the websites of Pakistan’s National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Lahore campus, and the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO). On NUML’s site, the group posted a message warning Pakistan over the Kashmir dispute: "Feel the power of Indian mad hunter, dont dare to mess with us, otherwise Kashmir toh hoga lakin Pakistan nahi hoga." PEPCO’s site displayed Mohanlal’s image and a Malayalam film dialogue, "NEE POO MONE DINESHAAAA," alongside claims the intrusion was retaliation for the earlier attack on the actor’s blog. Concurrently, hackers identifying as "Indian Hackers Online Squad" defaced the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) official website with Indian flag imagery and mocked PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto’s remarks about reclaiming Kashmir. Technical teams for PEPCO and PPP were actively attempting to restore their platforms at the time of reporting. The incidents fueled a broader online conflict between Mohanlal’s supporters and Pakistani users on social media, though officials from both nations had not publicly addressed the cyberattacks.