Cyber Incident Victim: Bangladesh Police
Date:
Jul 2024
Location:
Bangladesh
Summary
The websites of Bangladesh Police and Chhatra League were compromised, displaying banners stating "hacked by resistance" alongside protest-related messages addressing citizens and political factions, with all page interactions redirecting to a Telegram channel named "Operation Huntdown." A police official denied the breach, claiming accessibility issues stemmed from internet disruptions and dismissing reports as unfounded rumors.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On July 18, 2024, the websites of Bangladesh Police (police.gov.bd) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (bsl.org.bd) were compromised by unidentified attackers. Both sites displayed prominent banners stating "hacked by resistance" alongside photographs of unnamed individuals on their front pages. The hackers embedded messages addressing the public and political parties regarding ongoing quota reform protests. All hyperlinks on the defaced pages redirected visitors to a Telegram channel titled "Operation Huntdown," suggesting coordination between the digital intrusion and ongoing social unrest. The attack rendered the primary informational portals of both organizations inaccessible for standard browsing, replacing official content with protest-related material.
Bangladesh Police officials publicly denied the breach despite visual evidence of website alterations. Assistant Inspector General Enamul Haque Sagar dismissed reports as "rumours," attributing public access difficulties to nationwide internet connectivity issues rather than malicious activity. This contradictory stance emerged while the hacked pages remained visibly altered, displaying protest slogans and operational branding ("Operation Huntdown") consistent with activist networks. The incident exposed vulnerabilities in government web infrastructure during periods of civil unrest, though no data breaches or extended service disruptions beyond the defacement were confirmed. Public awareness of the incident spread through media coverage documenting the visible website modifications and official denials.