India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, has issued a warning about the growing misuse of legitimate Indian websites for illegal online activity using “black hat” search engine optimization. The advisory, released on December 22, 2025, highlights how attackers exploit trusted, high-ranking sites to covertly redirect users to unlawful platforms.
Unlike traditional cyberattacks, black hat SEO does not rely on phishing or malicious links. Instead, attackers compromise government portals, educational websites, and popular civic pages to inject hidden content or redirects. Users see authentic links in search results, but traffic is quietly diverted to betting, gambling, adult, or pirated content sites.
Investigators from I4C’s National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit noted that these campaigns are increasingly structured and profit-driven, marking a shift from opportunistic hacking to systematic manipulation of India’s digital ecosystem. Attackers identify websites with strong search visibility, exploit outdated plugins or unpatched systems, and implant spam keywords or redirect scripts, often optimized for mobile devices.
The advisory warns that users redirected through these methods may face financial fraud, malicious downloads, or scams such as illicit WhatsApp account rentals. For website owners, the reputational and legal damage can be significant, as their domains become unintentional conduits for illegal activity.
A troubling trend highlighted in the advisory is how cybercriminals openly recruit talent on professional networking platforms, offering high monthly payments for tasks described as “SEO optimization” or “infrastructure testing.” Recruits are instructed to target high-authority domains, with activity framed as low-risk freelance work. Authorities emphasised that unauthorized access, content injection, or assistance in such operations is punishable under Sections 43 and 66 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The government urges citizens to exercise caution online, avoid sharing personal information on unfamiliar sites, and report suspicious activity via the national cybercrime portal or helpline 1930. Website administrators are advised to maintain updated software, conduct regular malware scans, use web application firewalls, monitor logs, and audit search engine indexing to detect unauthorized redirects.
The advisory underscores the critical role of digital trust in a connected society and the importance of safeguarding India’s online infrastructure from manipulation that undermines both credibility and public safety.
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