CHENNAI: The IIT Madras's central library website and web pages of six of the institution's departments were allegedly hacked on Thursday by unknown persons who had posted messages reading 'Pakistan Jindabad'. A few students and alumnae of the premium technology institution told Express that they came to know of the hacking of the website at around 5.30 AM on Thursday.
SG Suryah, vice-president of BJP's Tamil Nadu state youth wing, who first tweeted about the incident said it was hacked at 5 AM and at around 6 AM, the website read "under maintenance". "We feel it was a part of conspiracy by some people who want to defame the digital India campaign of the Union government. I came to know from some alumnae of the institution," he said.
An alumnus of the institute, seeking anonymity, said that he got a message at around 5:30 AM from some students of the institution and a call around 6 AM saying that websites were hacked and a message has been posted saying 'Pakistan Jindabad'. "I feel this is a part of a bigger group," he said. He added that the students wanted to bring this to the notice of the institution authorities.
When Express spoke to a few students currently pursuing a course at the institute, many said they were not aware of the hacking of the websites.
Professor Shivakumar, dean of students, said that he has not received any information on this matter. "I am unaware of it and it is surprising that none of the students brought this into my notice so far," he said.
Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director of IIT Madras, said only a site in which events at the institute were announced was hacked, not the institute's official website. "That site does not have much security (because it not an important site). But the institution's website is secure," he told Express.
However, when Express checked at around 1 PM, the website of the institution and the web page of the central library and six departments read, “ This website is currently down, We are working to bring it up. Sorry for inconvenience caused. 29th Dec 2016".
The departments are Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Biotechnology.