There are unconfirmed reports indicating a potential breach of the database at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE).
Situated in Jamalpur, IRIMEE functions as the central training hub for the Indian Railways, primarily dedicated to educating officers and supervisors in the Mechanical Engineering Department.
Alleged IRIMEE Data Leak Details
A threat actor asserts the release of 908,626 records, comprising names, email addresses, passwords, and birth dates, in a purported data leak from IRIMEE for the year 2023.
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The Cyber Express Team, seeking to verify the IRIMEE data leak claim, reached out to officials, but no response has been received as of the writing of this report, leaving the claim unverified.
Continuation of Cybersecurity Challenges in India
This IRIMEE data breach is not an isolated one, as similar claims have been made on other Indian government organizations. In January, sensitive information of defense personnel was exposed in the SPARSH portal data leak, compromising usernames, passwords, URLs, and Pension Numbers.
This raised serious concerns about the privacy and security of those who have served in the nation’s defense forces. In 2023, the Gernesia Team claimed responsibility for a DDoS attack against the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
Another threat actor ‘dawnofdevil‘ asserted compromising the security of the Income Tax Department of India, though the claims are yet to be confirmed.
The Phoenix hacker group, affiliated with the pro-Russia hacker group Killnet, claimed several cyberattacks on the Ministry of Health in India, including unauthorized access to sensitive data on hospitals, staff, and chief physicians.
Furthermore, over the Christmas weekend in 2023, pro-Russian hacker group Anonymous Russia listed Indian companies as targets, signaling a shift in its focus from pro-Ukraine nations.
Despite India’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine issue, the country has become a target, possibly due to its strategic alliance with Russia, demonstrated by the “Act Far-East” policy, bilateral trade agreements, and visible signs of preference for Russia over the USA.
The repeated targeting of Indian government organizations raises questions about the motives behind these cyberattacks. Is it purely political, or are there other underlying factors driving these security breaches?
As investigations unfold, The Cyber Express will continue to keep its readers informed of any developments in this ongoing series of cyber threats.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.
