Hackers strike NSG, probe ordered

In an embarrassment to the National Security Guards (NSG), its website and internal mails were hacked Friday.

This has forced the elite commando force to suspended work on its internal mail system and order an overhaul of security features.

Though hackers have struck the NSG in the past also, sources said, the latest attack was "serious" and "confidential information may have been stolen".

The NSG's IT team is working to fix the problem, the sources added, and is expected to secure the mails and get the site up and running by Monday.

"We are yet in the process of identifying the extent of damage. A probe has been launched to identify the hackers, who tried to breach the security. We will soon identify them. There is also suspicion that the attempt was made to deface the website by some foreign agency," said a senior NSG official, who did not want to be named.

The NSG, however, downplayed the incident. "The problem was detected on Friday... and we have ordered upgradation of security features on our site. There was no loss of crucial data. It was done by government agencies of India to check vulnerability of our site," an NSG spokesperson said.

Hackers have targeted websites of Indian security agencies many times in the past. In December 2010, the CBI's website was hacked by Pakistan Cyber Army. The CBI had traced the hackers' portals to United States and Latvia. The CBI is still waiting for a word from the US.

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