Kerala government department website hacked, officials investigate possible data breach

The official website of Kerala’s General Administration department was hacked on Sunday, officials said, with a Pakistani flag and a message claiming responsibility displayed on the site. Department officials said the breach occurred in the morning. The message attributed the attack to a group calling itself “Team Blackleets” and included a slogan hailing Pakistan.

The message said the attackers were Pakistani hackers and that websites were being hacked every day. The officials did not confirm the identity or location of the people responsible for the intrusion. After the website was found to have been compromised, the hosting provider suspended the account.

A cyber team is examining whether the incident involved a data breach, officials said. The website will be restored after authorities are satisfied that it is secure. The department also plans to report the incident to the cyber police and file a formal complaint, according to officials.

The Kerala State IT Mission operates key State government websites and e-governance programmes. The source material does not identify which, if any, systems or records were accessed during the incident. The hacking comes as officials work to determine whether the intrusion was limited to altering the public-facing website or involved unauthorised access to data.

No details were provided about the duration of the disruption, the number of affected users or any confirmed loss of information. Officials said the investigation would establish the nature and extent of the incident before the site is brought back online. Until then, the hosting account remains suspended while the cyber team conducts its examination.