Archive · 14 Jan 2026
MP-CERT Thwarts Cyber-Attack on Government Websites
In December 2025, a group called IcePeony tried to hack the websites of the Madhya Pradesh state government.
They used a tricky method called SEO poisoning to redirect people to harmful sites.
Luckily, the cybersecurity teams in Madhya Pradesh, MP-CERT and MPSeDC, quickly found and stopped the attack.
They made sure no important information was stolen and all government services kept working.
After the attack, they checked all their computer systems, fixed any weak points, and made their defenses stronger to prevent future attacks.
They also found out that other states in India had similar problems and shared their findings with the national cybersecurity agency.
IcePeony, a known APT group, targeted Madhya Pradesh state government websites with an SEO poisoning redirect attack.
MP-CERT and MPSeDC successfully neutralized the threat within 48 hours, ensuring no data was compromised and services remained uninterrupted.
The attack was sophisticated, using advanced techniques to evade detection and masquerade as legitimate components.
A comprehensive audit and security improvements were implemented to strengthen defenses against future cyber threats.
Similar attacks were found in other states, and a detailed report was shared with CERT-In, the national cybersecurity agency.
- Who
- MP-CERT and MPSeDC
- What
- Cyber-attack on Madhya Pradesh state government websites
- When
- December 2025
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, India
- Why
- State-sponsored cyber espionage by the APT group IcePeony
- Attack Group
- IcePeony
- Attack Type
- SEO poisoning redirect attack
- Date of Attack
- December 2025
- Organizations Involved
- MP-CERT, MPSeDC
- Impact
- No data compromised, no services disrupted
- Response Time
- 48-hour intensive monitoring and response
- Additional Measures
- Comprehensive audit, system updates, enhanced security controls