Sensitive Data on India's Largest Nuclear Power Plant Reportedly Leaked on Dark Web

Reuters reported that the data was released by a ransomware group known as World Leaks. Reliance Group, led by Anil Ambani and one of the project's contractors, acknowledged that some of its data had been compromised and said the incident had already been reported to the relevant government authorities.

 

Located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a key component of India's plans to expand nuclear power generation. Independent cybersecurity researcher Rakesh Krishnan told Reuters that approximately 19,000 files labeled "KKNPP," totaling around 14.3 GB, have been publicly accessible on the dark web since June 11.

 

According to the report, the leaked files span the period from 2016 to mid-2025. Although Reuters reviewed the documents, it said it was unable to independently verify their authenticity. Among roughly 850,000 documents reportedly leaked from Reliance Group, those related to the Kudankulam project were described as the most sensitive.

 

Reliance Group stated that some of its data stored on servers operated by third-party data center provider Yotta had been partially compromised. Yotta said it detected suspicious activity on its servers in late May and took immediate containment measures. It added that Reliance informed the company in late June that external hackers were claiming responsibility for the data leak.

 

The incident is being investigated by India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). In a statement, NPCIL said the documents circulating on the dark web relate only to routine service matters and have no connection to nuclear safety or the plant's core nuclear systems.

 

Reuters further reported that the leaked files do not include information on the reactor systems supplied by Russia's Rosatom. However, they reportedly contain designs for the ventilation and cooling systems of the under-construction Units 3 and 4, control room floor plans, photographs of equipment, lists of approved vendors, and details of a terrorism-related insurance policy worth approximately $112 million.

 

Nicholas Roth, Senior Director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, warned that the disclosure of such information could pose serious security risks. He said hostile actors could analyze the documents to identify potential vulnerabilities within the facility. He also noted that the incident highlights broader cybersecurity weaknesses within India's corporate sector.

 

The report also recalled a previous cybersecurity incident in 2019, when malware linked to North Korean hackers was detected on the administrative network of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. According to international cybersecurity firm Surfshark, India currently ranks as the world's third most targeted country for cyberattacks.