India records over 265 mn cyberattack attempts

India's rapidly expanding digital ecosystem is facing an increasingly sophisticated wave of cyber threats, with more than 265 million cyberattack attempts and 369 million malware detections recorded during the assessment period, a new report said on Sunday.

The report, released by Indian cybersecurity company Lisianthus Tech, titled Cyber Shikshit Bharat: Building a Cyber-Resilient India, paints a concerning picture of the country's evolving cyber threat landscape, highlighting the growing risks confronting businesses, citizens, critical infrastructure and government systems as India accelerates its digital transformation.

It noted that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) recorded more than 29.44 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2025.

A major focus of the report is Operation Sindoor, during which nearly 1.5 million cyberattack attempts were observed. These included distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, phishing campaigns, malware deployments and website defacements. Of these, around 150 incidents reportedly resulted in successful system compromises, underscoring the need for stronger cyber defence mechanisms.

The report also draws attention to the growing vulnerabilities of India's critical infrastructure. The power sector alone witnessed nearly 200,000 attempted cyber intrusions, while telecom networks, government systems and other strategically important sectors continued to face sustained cyber threats.

Commenting on the findings, Khushhal Kaushik, Ethical Hacker and Founder & CEO of Lisianthus Tech, said India's digital transformation has emerged as a global success story, but the cyber threat landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace.

He said cybersecurity is no longer merely an information technology challenge but has become a national security imperative, adding that cyberattacks, malware campaigns and state-sponsored cyber operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, coordinated and persistent.

Kaushik further said the nearly 1.5 million cyberattack attempts recorded during Operation Sindoor, along with the detection of 369 million malware instances, reflect the scale of the cybersecurity challenge facing the country. Through the Cyber Shikshit Bharat initiative, he said, the company aims to build a cyber-aware and cyber-resilient nation by equipping citizens, students, government officials, industry leaders and critical infrastructure operators with the knowledge and skills needed to counter modern cyber threats.