Top Hacker Groups in Nepal 2025: Understanding Their Impact and Defending Against Threats

As Nepal embraces digital transformation, its cyberspace faces increasing threats, including website defacement, data breaches, and other cyberattacks. Hacker groups, ranging from malicious actors to ethical hackers, significantly influence the country’s cybersecurity landscape. This article explores the top hacker groups in Nepal in 2025, including Pwn Nepal and CMD Nepal, their motivations, notable activities, and the global context of website defacement from 2023 to 2025. It also provides actionable strategies to protect against these threats, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard Nepal’s digital infrastructure.

Historical Context of Hacking in Nepal

Cybercrime in Nepal gained attention around 2013, with incidents like the 2017 defacement of the Department of Passport’s website by Turkish hackers and the hacking of 58 government websites by Paradox Cyber Ghost. These events exposed vulnerabilities in Nepal’s digital systems, particularly in government and institutional sectors. Over the years, hacker groups have evolved, with some engaging in hacktivism, others seeking recognition, and a few pursuing financial gain. Ethical hacking groups have also emerged, contributing to cybersecurity through responsible vulnerability disclosure and education, aligning with initiatives like those of CyberSamir to promote awareness.

Top Hacker Groups in Nepal in 2025

The following are the most prominent hacker groups in Nepal in 2025, based on their activities, impact, and visibility in the cybersecurity landscape:

1. Hacktivist Nepal
   • Overview: A pro-monarchy hacktivist group advocating for the restoration of a Hindu state in Nepal.
   • Activities: Known for defacing government websites with nationalist slogans and images, exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated content management systems (CMS) and weak authentication.
   • Motivations: Driven by political activism, aiming to influence public opinion and challenge secular policies.
   • Notable Incidents: Recent defacements include government portals, with messages promoting monarchy and Hindu nationalism. Their activities remain active in 2025, capitalizing on Nepal’s political debates.
2. Paradox Cyber Ghost
   • Overview: A grey-hat group focused on exposing vulnerabilities in government and institutional websites.
   • Activities: In 2017, they defaced 58 government websites, claiming to highlight security flaws. They exploit SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities.
   • Motivations: Positioned as exposing weaknesses to improve cybersecurity, though their unauthorized actions are illegal.
   • Recent Trends (2023–2025): Less active recently, but their legacy influences ongoing cybersecurity discussions, with potential for resurgence in 2025 if vulnerabilities persist.
3. Hacker CWNE
   • Overview: A group targeting government infrastructure to expose security gaps.
   • Activities: In 2019, they defaced 19 government websites, including the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Nepal Seismological Centre, exploiting outdated software.
   • Motivations: Similar to Paradox Cyber Ghost, they aim to demonstrate vulnerabilities, though their methods are controversial.
   • Current Status: No specific 2025 incidents reported, but their history suggests potential for future activity.
4. Pen Tester Nepal
   • Overview: A community of ethical hackers focused on vulnerability assessment and responsible disclosure.
   • Activities: They provide penetration testing and security audits, collaborating with organizations to strengthen defenses. Members like Sachin Thakuri and Prakash Sharma were recognized in Facebook’s Hall of Fame in 2015 for ethical bug reporting.
   • Motivations: As white-hat hackers, they aim to enhance Nepal’s cybersecurity through legal and constructive means.
   • 2025 Impact: In 2025, they remain active in global platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd, training professionals and contributing to Nepal’s cybersecurity reputation.
5. Nepal Cyber Crew
   • Overview: An emerging group noted in underground forums for smaller-scale defacements and data leaks.
   • Activities: They target local businesses and educational institutions using phishing and social engineering, leaving taunting messages or claims of superiority.
   • Motivations: Driven by thrill-seeking and recognition within hacking communities, with less ideological focus than Hacktivist Nepal.
   • 2025 Trends: Posts on X suggest increased activity by similar groups targeting regional websites, indicating Nepal Cyber Crew’s involvement in localized cyberattacks.
6. Pwn Nepal
   • Overview: A relatively new group gaining attention for technical proficiency in exploiting system vulnerabilities.
   • Activities: Pwn Nepal focuses on advanced exploitation techniques, such as binary exploitation and web security, often participating in Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions and hackathons. They have been linked to defacements of local websites to demonstrate technical prowess.
   • Motivations: Primarily driven by the challenge of hacking and gaining recognition in global hacking communities, they blend grey-hat activities with competitive hacking.
   • 2025 Impact: In 2025, Pwn Nepal is active in Nepal’s hacking scene, Unban Telegram Their activities raise awareness of vulnerabilities but also pose risks due to unauthorized actions.
7. CMD Nepal
   • Overview: An emerging hacktivist group with a focus on social and political issues in Nepal.
   • Activities: CMD Nepal has been associated with defacing websites of local organizations and government entities, often leaving messages critical of governance or social inequalities. They exploit common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and weak server configurations.
   • Motivations: Their actions are driven by a desire to highlight social injustices and pressure authorities, aligning with hacktivist ideologies.
   • 2025 Impact: While less documented than other groups, CMD Nepal’s activities in 2025 are noted in underground forums, with defacements targeting poorly secured local websites, contributing to the ongoing challenge of cybersecurity in Nepal.

Global Context of Website Defacement (2023–2025)

Website defacement remains a global issue, often tied to geopolitical tensions or hacktivism. Recent data highlights its prevalence:

• 2023: Singapore reported 108 defaced ‘.sg’ websites, a 68% decrease from 340 in 2022, due to improved defenses. In Israel, smart billboards displayed pro-Hamas messages, exposing vulnerabilities in digital displays. The Ransomed group defaced a Hawaiʻi health website, combining defacement with ransomware threats.
• 2024: The Berlinale film festival’s Instagram account was hacked for political advocacy, showing defacement’s expansion to social media. The pcTattletale spyware website was defaced, leaking sensitive data. Singapore noted fewer defacements due to enhanced monitoring.
• 2025: A 74% rise in U.S. ransomware attacks included defacement as a diversion for data theft or malware deployment. Across 13 countries, public sector and healthcare websites were defaced, often for political motives. In Nepal, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration’s data was compromised by FunkSec, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities.

In Nepal, the 2020 Nepal-India border dispute saw Indian hackers deface the Nepal National Library website, with Nepali groups retaliating, underscoring the geopolitical nature of some attacks.

Impact on Nepal’s Digital Landscape

Hacker groups in Nepal expose critical vulnerabilities, particularly in government websites running outdated CMS platforms like WordPress or Joomla. The 2019 attacks by Paradox Cyber Ghost and Hacker CWNE, and recent activities by groups like Hacktivist Nepal and CMD Nepal, highlight systemic issues such as unpatched software and weak authentication. These incidents damage public trust, disrupt services, and require costly recovery efforts. Conversely, ethical groups like Pen Tester Nepal and individuals from Pwn Nepal contribute positively by identifying vulnerabilities and fostering cybersecurity education, aligning with organizations like CyberSamir that promote awareness.

Prevention and Defense Strategies

To counter website defacement and other cyber threats, organizations in Nepal should implement the following measures:

1. Regular Software Updates: Update CMS, plugins, and server software to patch vulnerabilities exploited by groups like CMD Nepal and Hacker CWNE.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enforce MFA for administrative accounts to prevent unauthorized access, a common entry point for defacement.
3. Vulnerability Scanning: Use tools like Nessus or OWASP ZAP to identify and remediate vulnerabilities before exploitation, as practiced by Pen Tester Nepal.
4. Web Application Firewalls (WAF): Deploy WAFs to filter malicious traffic and block SQL injection or XSS attacks used by groups like Paradox Cyber Ghost.
5. Real-Time Monitoring: Implement tools like Sucuri or WebOrion to detect unauthorized changes, enabling rapid response to defacement attempts.
6. Secure Backups: Maintain frequent, offline backups to restore websites quickly after attacks, ensuring backups are malware-free.
7. Access Control: Limit administrative access and use role-based controls to minimize insider threats, a tactic exploited by Nepal Cyber Crew.
8. Employee Training: Train staff to recognize phishing and social engineering, common methods used by groups like Nepal Cyber Crew.
9. Incident Response Plan: Develop a plan to isolate affected systems, restore backups, notify stakeholders, and conduct forensic analysis post-attack.
10. Collaboration with Ethical Hackers: Engage groups like Pen Tester Nepal or Pwn Nepal for penetration testing to proactively identify weaknesses.

In 2025, Nepal’s cybersecurity landscape is shaped by a mix of malicious and ethical hacker groups. Hacktivist Nepal, Paradox Cyber Ghost, Hacker CWNE, Nepal Cyber Crew, Pwn Nepal, and CMD Nepal highlight vulnerabilities through defacement and other attacks, driven by political motives, thrill-seeking, or the desire to expose weaknesses. Meanwhile, ethical groups like Pen Tester Nepal contribute to a safer digital environment through responsible practices. The global rise in defacement and ransomware, combined with Nepal’s specific incidents, underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures. By adopting proactive defenses, fostering awareness, and collaborating with ethical hackers, Nepal can strengthen its digital infrastructure and mitigate the risks posed by these hacker groups.