At least 3,000 government email IDs with the ‘gov.in’ extension have been found to be compromised and their passwords available in plain text across multiple databases of leaked emails on the deep web and dark web, The Quint has learnt.

At least twenty government entities including Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Corporate affairs, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) are among a variety of ministries, departments and statutory bodies that feature in the list of organisations whose officials have had their mail IDs compromised.

Senior officials whose emails appear to be have been compromised include former and current ambassadors, serving and retired scientists in ISRO and senior bureaucrats across state governments and autonomous bodies.