Font size:
Print
DDoS Cyberattack Disruption of Kaveri 2.0 Portal
Context:
Recently, Karnataka’s Kaveri 2.0 portal, which facilitates property registrations, experienced severe outages statewide due to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, as revealed by investigations by the Revenue and E-Governance Departments.
Nature of the Attack
- DDoS Attack: An attack designed to overwhelm a network or service with excessive traffic, making it unavailable.
- Difference from DoS: Unlike traditional Denial of Service attacks, DDoS uses multiple compromised systems to flood the target with requests.
- Artificial Intelligence: Attackers utilised AI-based techniques to generate massive traffic surges, with search queries for Encumbrance Certificates (EC) increasing by eight times.
- Fake Accounts and Bots: The creation of fake accounts and the use of bots contributed to overwhelming the portal’s infrastructure.
Other Prominent DDoS Attacks
- Elon Musk’s X Platform (August 2024): A massive DDoS attack disrupted the platform before Musk’s conversation with Donald Trump, then a U.S. presidential candidate.
- GitHub Attack (2015): A China-based botnet targeted GitHub projects providing tools to bypass Chinese censorship by injecting malicious JavaScript into Baidu services.
About Kaveri 2.0: Revolutionising Property Registration in Karnataka
- Kaveri 2.0 is the updated online property registration system launched in March 2023 by the Karnataka Government to streamline property transactions.
- It aims to eliminate delays, middlemen, and corruption, making the process faster, transparent, and more efficient.
- Additional Integrations: Kaveri 2.0 will soon integrate with services like E-AASTHI, BHOOMI, and SAKALA for comprehensive land transaction management.
Impact of the Attack
- Disruption of Property Registration: Over 252 sub-registrar offices across Karnataka were impacted, halting registrations.
- Revenue Losses: Regular property registrations typically range from 8,000 to 9,000 per day, causing significant financial losses during the attack.
- Public Inconvenience: Citizens faced delayed services, incomplete documents, and issues with biometric data.
- Sector-Wide Impact: Other services such as marriage and mortgage registrations were also affected by the cyberattack.
Government Response and Investigation
- Cybercrime Investigation: The Cybercrime, Economic Offences, and Narcotics (CEN) police launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators.
- Security Audit: The Revenue Department initiated a cybersecurity audit of the portal to identify vulnerabilities.
- Collaboration with the E-Governance Department: The department worked with cybersecurity experts to prevent further incidents.
Restoration of Services
- Portal Recovery: After remediation efforts, services were restored by February 5, 2025, with registration activities returning to near-normal levels.
- Interim Measures: Short-term solutions, such as traffic filtering and rate limiting, were implemented to stabilise the system.
Mitigation Strategies Against Future Cyberattacks
- Enhanced Security Mechanisms: The government introduced advanced traffic filtering, rate limiting, and bot detection technologies to strengthen the portal’s defences.
- Collaboration with Cybersecurity Experts: Involvement of specialised cybersecurity agencies to enhance protection mechanisms.
- Incident Response Plan: The establishment of a dedicated team for continuous monitoring and timely response to emerging cyber threats.
Way Forward
- Implementation of Advanced Security Features: Incorporating more sophisticated security systems like AI-based anomaly detection and multi-factor authentication.
- Public Awareness and Training: Educating the public and government officials about cybersecurity risks and preventive measures.
- Continuous Improvement of E-Governance Platforms: Regular updates and upgrades to ensure resilience against evolving cyber threats and system disruptions.
