Karnataka police launch probe into hacking of portal for property transactions, registrations

Authorities discovered that unknown individuals had accessed the Kaveri 2.0 portal, created fake accounts, and attempted to extract sensitive data

The Karnataka police has launched an investigation into the hacking of the Kaveri 2.0 software, a key platform used for property transactions and registrations across the state. The cyber attack, which led to disruptions in registration services, has prompted authorities to take swift action against the perpetrators, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.

Karnataka police launch probe into hacking of portal for property transactions, registrations

Following a complaint from KA Dayanand, inspector general of registration and commissioner of stamps, an FIR has been registered under the Information Technology Act. Central DCP Shekar H Tekkannavar confirmed the development, and said, “After receiving the complaint, we have registered an FIR and initiated an investigation into the hacking of the Kaveri 2.0 system.”

Authorities discovered that unknown individuals had accessed the Kaveri 2.0 portal, created fake accounts, and attempted to extract sensitive data. Officials from the stamps and registration department, in coordination with the Smart Governance Centre (SGC), identified 62 email accounts and their corresponding IP addresses linked to the cyber attack.

According to officials, the hacking incident took place last month, triggering severe server issues that halted property registration work across the state’s sub-registrar offices. During the attack, the volume of requests surged to eight times the usual number, with more than 620,000 malicious requests recorded in just two hours, according to the SGC report. The attack primarily targeted government systems, causing significant operational disruptions.

In response to the incident, revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda emphasised the seriousness of the matter. “The cyber attack on the Kaveri 2.0 system has been taken very seriously, and a thorough investigation is underway. If this was a deliberate attempt to disrupt property registration processes, we will take stringent legal action against the culprits,” he said.

Gowda further announced plans to conduct an independent security audit of the department’s IT systems. “This investigation will help us prevent future attacks. Our experts will carry out a security audit to strengthen the IT framework of the stamps and registration department,” he added.

The minister also acknowledged the difficulties faced by people due to the attack. “For the last two months, the disruption in the Kaveri 2.0 system has affected property transactions. The cyber attack led to major inconveniences, increased pressure on officials, and even caused revenue losses for the government. However, through continuous efforts, we have now restored the software’s normal functioning,” he added.