ICAR Suffers Major Cyberattack: Recruitment and Research Data Compromised in National Breach

In a major cybersecurity incident this April, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) — the apex body managing agricultural education and research nationwide — fell victim to a serious data breach. The cyberattack targeted ICAR’s central website, its primary server located in Delhi, and a replication server based in Hyderabad, resulting in what officials have described as the loss of “crucial data.”

The breach has severely disrupted multiple core functions across ICAR. Among the most affected is sensitive recruitment-related information, covering roles ranging from Technical Officers to Deputy Directors General. 

Confidential job applications, critical research project records, and submissions from scientists were also compromised. Alarmingly, internal email correspondences were accessed, raising significant concerns about the breach’s impact on institutional collaboration and knowledge continuity.

Key wings of ICAR bore the brunt of the hack, including the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), which manages hiring for agricultural research roles; the Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI), which handles vital agricultural data analytics; and the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), which plays a central role in agricultural HR development. The disruption could pose long-term

[…]
Content was cut in order to protect the source.Please visit the source for the rest of the article.