India Has Become the Main Target of Hackers in 2025, Reports Say

In India, 80% of all cyberattacks target organizations, with 36% of them aimed at the public sector and 13% at the industry.

As the world embraces digitalization, the number of cyberattacks has increased drastically, announcing additional challenges for IT professionals. Hackers have many motivations in their pockets, from monetary gain to ideological convictions. The concept of hacking has become much deeper, incorporating more potential targets,  including large-scale enterprises, startups, and individuals.

According to global statistics platform Statista, in India, the number of cyberattacks surged by 15% in 2025 compared to last year, and in the second quarter of 2024, the growth reached an impressive 46% compared to the same period a year earlier. These numbers are shocking, and continue to grow, causing dramatic disturbances and taking a huge toll on society.

Let’s dive deeper into the reasons behind hacking incidents  and how to prevent them.

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Hacking Statistics in India and Why It Matters

In the first quarter of 2025, India was the most affected country in the world by DDoS attacks, accounting for 18.1% of all incidents. Cybercriminals viciously attacked financial and transport companies in the region, and the public sector was also affected by hackers’ actions. The targeting of Indian companies was organized by politically motivated hacktivists, reflecting the complex geopolitical situation in the region.

In India, 80% of all cyberattacks target organizations, with 36% of them aimed at the public sector and 13% at the industry. In most cases (70%), attacks on organizations resulted in the theft of confidential data, of which 40% was personal information and 20% ‒ commercial secrets. The situation is similar with individuals: 62% of successful incidents resulted in data leaks.

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As is the case worldwide, malware is the predominant method of cyberattacks on organizations in India. In 2024, the share of incidents involving malware in the country increased by 11%, while the use of ransomware rose by 22%.

Is it important to excel in maths to comprehend these numbers? Not necessarily, since the staggering statistics speaks for itself. The numbers prove that every year, there is an increase in the number and complexity of cyberattacks. Cutting-edge advanced technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning expand the attack surface. In addition, regulatory requirements in the field of data protection are tightening, which skyrockets the need for relevant specialists.

Common Motives Behind Hacking Today

Here is a list of popular reasons behind hacking nowadays, ranked from the least to the most common motives:

• Fun, curiosity
• Material gain
• Fame, recognition, and glory
• Politics and ideology
• Religion
• Revenge and discontent
• Other motives.

Based on these motives, we can distinguish four main groups of hackers that present serious threats to both individuals and business ventures.

The first group is lone hackers. Their main goal is to “misbehave” – ​​to hack something for fun, bragging, or out of curiosity. It is almost impossible to assess the damage from such attacks since lone hackers frequently do not have the goal of causing harm. Such cyber hooligans rarely target critical objects, but individuals suffer considerably from these actions.

The second type is financially motivated cybercriminal groups, which are called APT (Advanced Persistent Threads). They carry out targeted pinpoint strikes, with the main goal of material gain. This type of attack is mostly aimed at businesses. Cybercriminal groups carry out virus attacks, and phishing attacks, which often have complex multi-stage logic.

The most dangerous communities are hacker-activists (hacktivists) and cyber troops.

Hacker activists are not obsessed with material gain but with national ideas, ideological orientations, or religious discontent. For instance, popular hackers who have united into a “computer circle,” or rather a group called Anonymous, have been shaking the foundations and rocking the boat of the modern Internet for almost two decades.

Cyber ​​troops, on the other hand, are professional hackers sponsored by the state. They are considered the most dangerous, since their main objective is to cause damage, sometimes even irreparable, on the country. In India, for example, cyber troops use a variety of strategies, tools, and tactics to spread disinformation and manipulate public discussions about politics online.

Cybersecurity Rules

Experts agree that cybersecurity should be fundamental to all areas of our lives affected by digitalization. Organizations need to simultaneously implement a layered cyber defense, apply modern security technologies, and train employees, increasing their level of digital literacy. These guidelines also apply to individuals. It is advised to protect your accounts from unauthorized access, use strong passwords, and stay away from suspicious online activity.

(India CSR)