Hyderabad: The Hyderabad water board website has reportedly been hacked by unknown attackers. While the exact timing of the hack remains unclear, promotional links for betting, online rummy, and casinos started trending up on Google News under the latest news tab in the technology section on Friday, November 8.

Most links redirected users to an online betting site, betwww20.com, with only one subsection featuring Garena Free Fire MAX redeem codes. The breach highlights vulnerabilities within both HMWSSB’s website and Google News’s algorithm.

According to the Hindu article, the attack is suspected to involve Structured Query Language Injection (SQLi) attack which is commonly used to hack websites. It allows hackers to exploit a website’s database by inserting malicious SQL code into forms, URLs, or other input fields. When websites fail to validate or sanitize these inputs, attackers can delete, modify, or extract sensitive data like usernames, passwords, credit card details etc which compromises Hyderabad water board website security further.

Hackers frequently use automated tools to scan numerous websites for vulnerabilities. These tools systematically test different SQL injection payloads on forms, URLs, and other input fields until they find one that successfully breaches the site.

Currently, users attempting to access the Hyderabad water board website see the message “Coming back soon, It is currently down for maintenance”

Earlier, The Hyderabad water board have cleaned 50,000 manholes and de-silted 700 kilometres of sewage pipelines across 6,140 areas as part of a 90-day special drive. The initiative focuses on addressing long-standing sewage issues and preventing water shortages in the future.