The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced on Tuesday that it had successfully thwarted a massive cyberattack targeting its verification and re-evaluation portal. Despite the attack, the platform continued to process tens of thousands of student requests, even as the Board's digital infrastructure remains under scrutiny.
Details of the Cyberattack
According to an update shared by CBSE, the portal faced a 3.8 million-packet denial-of-service (DoS) attack during the afternoon. The Board stated that its technical teams effectively blocked the attack and ensured that services remained operational for students seeking verification of issues in scanned answer books and re-evaluation of answers.
Background of Digital System Controversies
This incident comes amid weeks of controversy surrounding CBSE's digital systems. Concerns have been raised about the On-Screen Marking (OSM) platform, answer-sheet access services, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities flagged by independent researchers. The Board has been working to address these issues while maintaining service continuity.
Over 56,000 Applications Processed
Despite the attempted disruption, CBSE reported that the portal had accepted more than 56,000 applications for verification and re-evaluation as of 9:30 PM. The Board emphasized that its technical teams are proactively monitoring performance and introducing refinements to deliver a smoother, faster, and more seamless experience for students.
Purpose of the Portal
The portal was opened for students who had already obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books and wished to report issues such as missing pages, missing supplementary sheets, blurred scans, incorrect answer books, or evaluation against a different question paper set. Students can also seek re-evaluation of specific answers after reviewing their scanned copies.
Technical Upgrades and Security Measures
CBSE had earlier postponed the launch of the portal to carry out technical upgrades. Since becoming operational, the Board has issued multiple updates regarding performance improvements, user traffic, and cybersecurity safeguards. The successful defense against the DoS attack demonstrates the effectiveness of these measures.
Payment Infrastructure Supported by Multiple Banks
To handle the large volume of applications, CBSE integrated payment gateway services from four public sector banks: State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank. SBI reported that its payment gateway processed over 40,000 transactions linked to CBSE services. Students can make payments through UPI, debit cards, internet banking, and credit cards from any bank. Bank of Baroda processed over 7,500 transactions, Canara Bank handled more than 4,000 transactions, and Indian Bank confirmed over 5,000 customers used its gateway for CBSE fee payments.
Ongoing Scrutiny of Digital Systems
The cyberattack disclosure comes at a time when CBSE's digital infrastructure remains under public scrutiny. Over the past several weeks, concerns have been raised regarding the OSM platform, answer-sheet access services, and alleged cybersecurity vulnerabilities. CBSE has maintained that it is continuously strengthening its platforms and working with technical teams to ensure secure and uninterrupted services for students using post-result facilities.
