Mumbai: In response to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, leading stock exchanges BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock Exchange) have implemented precautionary measures to safeguard against potential cyber threats. According to a report, both exchanges have temporarily blocked access to their websites for international users.
A spokesperson from BSE explained that the exchange, being a critical market infrastructure institution (MII), continuously monitors domestic and international risks, especially in light of heightened security concerns.
“Based on such monitoring of cyber traffic, as a precautionary and protective measure, websites and locations are blocked to protect users and systems. The monitoring is dynamic, and access is restored on a case-by-case basis, subject to an assessment of the threat,” the spokesperson said.
The decision follows the recent military operations between India and Pakistan, including Operation Sindoor on May 7, which targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This operation, carried out by the Indian Armed Forces, was in retaliation for the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed several civilians and security personnel.
In addition to the website blocks, the BSE has issued a critical advisory to its market participants, following a cybersecurity alert from India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). The advisory highlights an ongoing cyber threat campaign targeting organizations within India’s Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sectors.
The BSE has urged its stakeholders to strengthen their cybersecurity measures against potential high-impact cyber-attacks, such as ransomware, supply chain intrusions, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, website defacements, and malware.
Both exchanges have reiterated their commitment to safeguarding market operations and user data while closely monitoring the situation. The exchanges also assured that they are taking every possible measure to mitigate risk and will restore full access to international users once the situation stabilizes.
