Your Android phone could be hacked, following Operation Sindoor

As India-Pakistan tensions escalate, cyber experts warn of an increased threat from malicious actors targeting Indian cyberspace, including the personal devices of civilians.

 

Personal devices of civilians are often targeted during geopolitical conflicts for reasons ranging from psychological warfare and misinformation campaigns to espionage and surveillance.

 

Hackers also use these infected devices to build botnets—large networks of compromised devices—to launch broader attacks without detection. Experts say that hackers might use WhatsApp and similar messaging platforms to gain access to your device.

 

India has the most WhatsApp users, around 535.8 million. The India Cyber Threat Report 2025—jointly issued by Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and cybersecurity firm Seqrite—says that one of the sneakiest threats in Indian cyberspace is the distribution of APK malware via WhatsApp. APK malware is malicious software disguised within a legitimate-looking Android Package (APK) file.

 

The report says that Android users are most vulnerable, and the number of incidents in India is critically high. According to cyber experts, malicious actors pose as trusted agencies such as government departments, public sector banks, and electricity boards to create a false sense of urgency and manipulate users into installing APK malware. The malicious app will then be used to steal personal information, financial data, access SMS information, and even commit billing fraud.

 

In late April, Pakistan-linked hackers deployed ‘Pahalgam Terror Attack’ themed documents to target Indian officials and defence personnel. The hackers employed credential phishing and deployment of malicious payloads while impersonating the Jammu & Kashmir Police and the Indian Air Force. The link embedded within the document was used as the primary gateway for the attack.

 

Fake apps posing as ChatGPT applications are also a rising threat. When users click on the app, they will be redirected to a page where they are prompted to provide permissions to the fake app.

 

Experts warn that Indian cyberspace is being targeted through a widespread, coordinated disinformation campaign. Many of these campaigns exploit psychological triggers—such as fear of war or communal unrest—encouraging users to unknowingly share false content. Experts note that cybercriminals could also use compromised phones to craft hyper-targeted disinformation campaigns—tailoring messages based on a user’s location or political leanings.

 

Notably, dozens of websites—including government portals, educational institutions, and private businesses—were defaced with anti-India slogans by Pakistani cybercriminals. The defaced sites often displayed Pakistani flags, military imagery, and messages aligned with the broader disinformation campaign. The Press Information Bureau has urged the public and media houses to carefully verify all information before dissemination.

 

Notably, following the Pahalgam attack, there has been a concerted effort to spread narratives suggesting that India orchestrated the incident to justify military escalation or that Indian authorities are targeting minorities. Bots, fake accounts, and hashtags such as #IndiaFalseFlag have been used to amplify misleading stories as part of this information war.

Defence