Cyber Incident Victim: Consulate General of India in Sao Paulo
Date:
Jun 2016
Location:
Brazil
Summary
Pakistani hackers defaced the Consulate General of India in Sao Paulo's website along with six other Indian diplomatic missions and a Karnataka State Police site, leaving messages proclaiming association with the Pakistan Army and displaying offensive content. The attackers, identifying as "Romantic" and "Intruder" for the embassy breaches and Faisal 1337 from Team Pak Cyber Attackers for the police site, promoted pro-Pakistan slogans such as "Pakistan Zindabad" and denigrated Indian authorities. All affected websites were subsequently restored to normal operation following investigations into the incidents, which reflect ongoing cyber hostilities between actors linked to the two nations.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 3 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 3 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In June 2016, Pakistani hackers conducted a coordinated defacement campaign targeting Indian government websites, including the Consulate General of India in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Between June 11 and June 14, hackers using the aliases "Romantic" and "Intruder" compromised seven Indian diplomatic websites: the embassies in Ankara (Turkey), Athens (Greece), Mexico City (Mexico), Bucharest (Romania), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Pretoria (South Africa), and the Sao Paulo consulate. The attackers replaced legitimate content with a message claiming association with the Pakistan Army, stating: "Hey Indian Government, Do not Mess With Us Pakistan Army Zindabad... Feel The Power of Pakistan." Simultaneously, a separate hacker identified as Faisal 1337 from Team Pak Cyber Attackers defaced the Karnataka State Police website, displaying the Pakistani flag and offensive content. All compromised sites were temporarily rendered inoperative during the defacements.
This incident occurred within the context of ongoing cyber hostilities between Indian and Pakistani hacking groups dating to their geopolitical conflicts since 1947. The attacks followed previous cyber-espionage operations including BreachRAT malware campaigns, Operation Transparent Tribe (February 2016), and Operation C-Major (March 2016), as well as retaliatory attacks by Indian hackers after the January 2016 Pathankot Air Force Station terrorist attack. Indian authorities initiated investigations into all eight website compromises and restored affected systems to operational status promptly. No data theft or persistent access was reported, with impacts limited to temporary service disruption and reputational damage through the displayed messages. The coordinated timing across multiple diplomatic missions suggested a deliberate symbolic targeting of India's international presence rather than technically sophisticated intrusions.