Cyber Incident Victim: Pakistan Electric Power Company Limited
Date:
Oct 2014
Location:
Pakistan
Summary
A group identifying as "The Mallu Soldiers," retaliating against pro-separatist hackers who defaced Indian actor Mohanlal's website with Pakistan flags and separatist slogans, compromised the Pakistan Electric Power Company's website. They replaced its content with the actor's image and a film dialogue, alongside warnings about Kashmir directed at Pakistani entities. This incident was part of a broader retaliatory cyber campaign that also targeted Pakistan's National University of Modern Languages and the Pakistan People's Party's official site, where hackers posted Indian flags and mocked political figures. The initial attack on Mohanlal's site by "Cyber Warriors" had threatened further cyber operations against Indian financial and government systems, escalating tensions and prompting the actor to report the incident to authorities.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On October 8, 2014, pro-separatist 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 to the Indian Army regarding its activities in Kashmir and threatened future targeting of financial systems and government organizations. Mohanlal reported the incident to the Director General of Police (DGP) and cyber cell via email, with his website restored within hours. The following day, October 9, retaliatory attacks occurred when a Kerala-based group called "The Mallu Soldiers" hacked Pakistan's National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Lahore campus website, posting a warning about Kashmir: "Feel the power of Indian mad hunter... otherwise Kashmir toh hoga lakin Pakistan nahi hoga." Simultaneously, they compromised the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) website, displaying Mohanlal's image and his film dialogue "NEE POO MONE DINESHAAAA" as direct retaliation for the actor's website defacement.
The incident escalated further when the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) official website was breached by a group self-identified as "Indian Hackers Online Squad," which replaced content with Indian flag imagery and mocked PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto’s remarks about reclaiming Kashmir. This triggered a cross-border cyber conflict on social media platforms between Mohanlal’s supporters and Pakistani users. While NUML and PEPCO websites were defaced with political messaging and cultural references, the PPP’s cyber team remained engaged in recovery efforts at the time of reporting. No operational disruptions to power infrastructure or academic systems were detailed in the incidents. Authorities from India and Pakistan had not issued official statements regarding the attacks, leaving containment measures and technical impacts unspecified beyond website recoveries. Mohanlal’s formal complaint represented the only documented response action from affected parties.