According to a recent report published by Indian Defense Research Wing(IDRW), a Pakistan-based hacking group has allegedly launched a cyberespionage campaign targeting Indian military and government officials. Thecampaign reportedly involves the use of a malicious spyware known asDeskRAT, designed to infiltrate official email accounts and gain remoteaccess to sensitive systems.
Sources claim that DeskRAT primarily targets computers running the BOSSLinux operating system — an Indian government-endorsed distribution — byexploiting security loopholes and weak credentials. Once infected, themalware grants attackers complete control over the victim’s machine,allowing them to access files, monitor activity, and potentially exfiltrateconfidential information.
A Remote Access Trojan (RAT) like DeskRAT operates much like legitimateremote-control tools such as TeamViewer or Microsoft’s Remote DesktopProtocol (RDP), but it functions covertly and maliciously, often withoutthe user’s knowledge.
Cybersecurity experts have urged Indian defense personnel and governmentemployees to exercise extreme caution while opening email attachments,especially those from unknown or suspicious sources. Officials have alsobeen advised to update their systems, strengthen password policies, andconduct regular security audits to mitigate the risk of such cyberattacks.
Read Top Stories
While no official statement has yet been released by Indian defenseauthorities, reports of rising cyber hostilities between India and Pakistanhave raised concerns about the growing sophistication of state-linkedhacking groups in the region.