CBSE Portal Hit by Malicious Attack, 50 Students Gain Unauthorized Access

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) revaluation portal’s payment system was hit by a “malicious attack”, with around 50 students gaining unauthorized access, government sources said on Friday.

CBSE Portal Hit by Malicious Attack, 50 Students Gain Unauthorized Access

The issue led to abnormal fee displays on the portal, where the payable amount in some cases fluctuated from around Rs 1 to nearly Rs 67,000-68,000.

The glitch was linked to the HDFC payment gateway integrated with the system and occurred when the portal went live.

Payment Gateway Integration Issues

The CBSE revaluation portal’s payment system was integrated with HDFC’s payment gateway, which was later found to be vulnerable to unauthorized access.

The issue was not isolated to HDFC, as four PSU banks – State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Indian Bank and Bank of Maharashtra – have also been integrated as additional payment gateways.

CBSE Portal Strengthening Measures

• Experts from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur, along with Digital Infrastructure Corporation of India, are examining the system and strengthening the portal and payment gateway integration.
• The teams are examining the code and the system to make it seamless and glitch-free.
• The CBSE has also shifted its system to Amazon Web Services (AWS) to address issues of space and improve the portal’s infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• The CBSE revaluation portal’s payment system was hit by a malicious attack, resulting in unauthorized access to around 50 students.
• The issue was linked to the HDFC payment gateway integrated with the system and occurred when the portal went live.
• The CBSE has taken measures to strengthen its payment gateway infrastructure and improve the portal’s security.

FAQs

What was the nature of the malicious attack on the CBSE portal?

The malicious attack was a result of unauthorized access to the CBSE revaluation portal’s payment system, which was integrated with HDFC’s payment gateway.

How many students were affected by the issue?

Around 50 students gained unauthorized access to the portal and were affected by the issue.

What measures has the CBSE taken to strengthen its payment gateway infrastructure?

The CBSE has shifted its system to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and integrated four PSU banks as additional payment gateways to improve the portal’s security and infrastructure.

Conclusion

The CBSE revaluation portal’s payment system was hit by a malicious attack, resulting in unauthorized access to around 50 students. The issue was linked to the HDFC payment gateway integrated with the system and occurred when the portal went live. The CBSE has taken measures to strengthen its payment gateway infrastructure and improve the portal’s security. The students and parents are advised to be cautious while making payments through the portal and to report any issues to the authorities.