Several police inspectors in Gujarat have fallen victim to a suspected malware attack after their Telegram accounts were compromised, resulting in explicit pornographic links being automatically sent to colleagues and senior police officials.
According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Crime Cyber Cell, investigators suspect that the officers’ accounts were hacked after they clicked on malicious links received through Telegram. The cyber cell is now examining the incident to determine how the attack spread and whether police personnel were deliberately targeted.
One of the affected inspectors, who has previously served with a state police agency, said he received a Telegram message from a cloth merchant known to him. Believing the message to be genuine because it came from a familiar contact, he clicked on the link.
The following day, the officer began receiving calls and questions from fellow officers and senior officials asking why he had sent them a pornographic link.
“That’s when I realised my Telegram account had been compromised,” the officer said.
The inspector initially sought help from a private cybersecurity expert. The expert formatted the phone and installed antivirus software in an attempt to remove the infection. However, despite these measures, explicit links continued to be sent automatically from the officer’s Telegram account. He later approached the CID Crime Cyber Cell for assistance.
Another inspector posted in Gandhinagar reported a similar experience. He said he received the same pornographic link from a fellow police officer whose Telegram account had allegedly already been compromised.
“I have also approached the cyber cell to understand exactly how this happened,” the officer said.
According to police sources, several inspectors and other police personnel have received identical malicious links over the past few days. Investigators are now working to determine whether the police officers were specifically targeted by cybercriminals or whether the malware spread through Telegram contact lists after compromising the first few accounts.
A cybercrime officer explained that clicking on such malicious links can install malware or provide attackers with access to a user’s device. Once attackers gain control, they can misuse messaging applications, harvest contact lists, and automatically send the same malicious links to other users. Such attacks can also expose victims to financial fraud while putting everyone in their contact list at risk.
As of now, no FIR has been registered in connection with the incident.
Cyber Safety Advisory
Cybersecurity experts have advised users to take the following precautions to protect their devices and messaging accounts:
Verify links before clicking on them, even if they are received from trusted or known contacts.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all communication and messaging applications.
Install software and apps only from official app stores.
Regularly review app settings and remove any unrecognised or suspicious devices connected to your account.
Treat urgent, alarming or sensational messages as potential red flags.
If an account is compromised, immediately disconnect the device from the internet, terminate all active sessions, change passwords and inform contacts about the breach.
Report suspected cyber incidents to cybercrime authorities without delay.
The investigation into the Telegram account compromise is ongoing, with cyber investigators continuing to analyse how the malware spread and whether the affected police officers were individually targeted or infected through an existing chain of compromised contacts.
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