Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s official X account was hacked on Sunday, with hackers posting and live-streaming images of Pakistan and Turkey flags. 

According to officials, the intrusion was noticed quickly, and the cybercrime police were alerted. The technical team managing Deputy Chief Minister Shinde’s account acted promptly and retrieved control of the account within 30-40 minutes.

“The cybercrime police were immediately informed, and the team in charge of the account restored access,” an official said.

Shinde’s office stated that the account has now been fully recovered and is functioning normally. The incident has raised fresh concerns about cybersecurity.

India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash

The hacking attempt coincided with the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash on Sunday. The match is scheduled to be held today at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Incident Comes Amid Rising Global Cybersecurity Threats

This development comes as the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) highlights increasing risks linked to users’ digital footprints, noting that over 1.4 billion accounts are hacked worldwide each month.

According to the council, every online login, post, or interaction leaves a trace that can be misused. It outlined two types of digital footprints: passive footprints, which are collected without users’ knowledge through tracking by websites and apps, and active footprints, deliberately created by users through photos, videos, comments, and posts.

The CSC warned that poorly secured data can result in privacy breaches, account hijacks, phishing attacks, and even identity theft. It also highlighted the dangers of unverified or unofficial apps, some of which can record calls or access cameras without consent.

Users were advised to download applications only from official sources, check app permissions carefully, enable two-factor authentication, and exercise caution when sharing locations or accepting friend requests.