The hacker group TalibLeaks has revealed significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities within Taliban-controlled agencies, disclosing that the password used by the Taliban’s cybersecurity chief was “12345678.”
In an interview with Afghanistan International, TalibLeaks claimed that hacking into Taliban ministries is “very easy” and that exposing such data serves as a warning to the group, emphasising that the Taliban cannot conceal its operations.
TalibLeaks reported that various Taliban factions operate independently in the digital realm, resulting in widely varying cybersecurity standards. The group noted that while the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s faction is more difficult to infiltrate—largely due to its reliance on paper-based communication rather than digital platforms—the Haqqani Network maintains relatively robust security, a strength attributed more to its minimal use of the internet than to advanced protective measures.
With over a decade of cybersecurity experience, TalibLeaks asserted that penetrating most Taliban ministries remains remarkably simple. The exposure of the cybersecurity chief’s email password, “12345678,” serves as a prime example. The hacker group also claimed to have repeatedly infiltrated Taliban servers, at times discovering evidence of previous breaches by other hackers.
Leaked documents indicate that TalibLeaks has gained access to the emails of numerous Taliban officials and government employees. Although the Taliban’s Ministry of Telecommunications has acknowledged that documents from dozens of Taliban-run agencies have been leaked, the group has not commented on the extent of the breach or the security vulnerabilities exposed by TalibLeaks.
