CBSE shifts re-evaluation process to secured portal after cyberattack attempt

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has moved its re-evaluation process to a newly secured evaluation portal after an expert panel from IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras cleared the platform following a security review.

The decision comes days after CBSE's re-evaluation system was targeted by a large-scale cyberattack on June 3, when nearly 3.8 million malicious packets were directed at the portal in an apparent attempt to disrupt verification and re-evaluation services.

An IIT panel member told ANI that CBSE has decided not to use the services of Coempt Eduteck Pvt Ltd for scanning answer sheets during the ongoing re-evaluation process. The expert added that the earlier platform contained several security weaknesses that could have exposed examination data and records through multiple access points.

"While the new system retains functionalities similar to the earlier platform, several security enhancements have been incorporated to strengthen data protection and address vulnerabilities identified during the review process," the panel member said.

According to the expert, the revised portal has been reinforced with additional safeguards to prevent unauthorised access and ensure the secure handling of examination-related information.

Amid concerns over the platform's security and reports of attempted cyber intrusions, CBSE brought in cybersecurity teams from IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras to assess and strengthen its digital infrastructure. IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity team reportedly spent more than ten days reviewing two key systems — the CBSE registration portal and the OSM re-evaluation portal.

CBSE has also transferred all answer-sheet data and records to its own servers, a move aimed at improving control over security and operational management.

The board's post-result grievance redressal mechanism received 70,433 applications as of June 4. These included 7,314 requests for verification of marks and 63,119 applications seeking re-evaluation.

Earlier, CBSE disclosed that its re-evaluation platform had faced multiple cyberattacks, including a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack involving nearly 3.8 million packets. The board said the attacks were successfully mitigated and that services related to verification, access to answer books and re-evaluation remained operational throughout the incident.