The official website of the Kanpur Municipal Corporation has been blocked until June 1 after a suspected cyberattack disrupted online services and raised concerns over the security of official data. A specialised team from the National Informatics Centre, New Delhi, has reached the municipal headquarters to investigate the breach and assist in recovery efforts.
According to officials, the attack took place around 2 p.m. on Thursday when hackers allegedly gained access to the corporation’s portal. Preliminary findings suggest that the IP address used in the intrusion may have originated from Bangladesh, though investigators are still verifying the source through forensic analysis.
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NIC Team Examines Logs and Server Records
The NIC team has collected technical material linked to the portal, including login credentials, server configurations, access logs and backend records. Officials said the website was temporarily disabled to prevent further unauthorised access and to ensure that possible backdoors or malicious scripts could not be misused.
Initial assessment suggests that photographs and contact details of the Mayor, corporators and municipal officials were affected. Minutes of municipal meetings, executive committee records and some budget-related documents also reportedly disappeared from the portal.
Investigators are now trying to determine whether the missing data was deleted or copied by the attackers. Digital forensics and data recovery have become the main focus of the ongoing investigation.
Civic Services Continue Through Alternate Platforms
Municipal authorities said essential public services, including birth and death certificate processing, tax collection and tender-related work, are continuing through alternative digital platforms. While several website-based services remain unavailable, officials said routine civic operations have not faced major disruption.
Technology experts believe the restoration process will require a detailed security audit before the website is made public again. The review is expected to examine server architecture, authentication systems, access controls and monitoring mechanisms.
Officials said the portal will be restored only after all security concerns are addressed and the system is considered safe for public use.
Citizens Warned Against Fraudulent Links
Following the breach, the municipal corporation has issued an advisory asking residents to remain alert against fraudulent links and suspicious calls. Citizens have been warned not to click on links related to property tax, licences, certificates or civic services received through WhatsApp, SMS, email or social media unless verified through official sources.
Residents have also been asked to treat unsolicited calls claiming to represent the municipal corporation with caution. Suspicious communication should be reported through the national cybercrime helpline 1930.
NIC specialists and municipal technology teams are now working on data recovery, forensic examination and system strengthening. The incident has highlighted the growing cyber risks facing government digital infrastructure and the need for stronger safeguards across public-sector platforms.
