Government Plans High-Level Cybersecurity Audit After eMudhra and PHP Security Incidents

The Indian government is preparing a high-level cybersecurity review following eMudhra certificate vulnerabilities, PHP security flaws and warnings about AI agents accessing sensitive corporate systems.

Government Plans High-Level Cybersecurity Audit After eMudhra and PHP Security Incidents

The central government is expected to conduct a high-level review and cybersecurity audit to evaluate the potential impact of several recent security incidents affecting Indian enterprises. The developments include vulnerabilities in PHP, compromised digital certificate keys associated with eMudhra and warnings about artificial intelligence (AI) agents accessing live corporate networks.

The incidents have renewed concerns about cybersecurity preparedness, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which may lack adequate safeguards to protect sensitive business information.

Government Plans Cybersecurity Review of Recent Incidents

According to a report by Source citing sources familiar with the matter, the proposed review will examine the impact of recent cybersecurity threats and assess the preparedness of Indian organisations.

The review is expected to focus on three major concerns: security flaws in PHP, weaknesses affecting eMudhra's digital certificates and the risks associated with AI-powered agents operating within corporate information technology systems.

The assessment could help identify vulnerabilities in existing security practices and highlight areas requiring stronger protection. The incidents have also raised questions about whether businesses are adequately securing their systems, credentials and confidential information against emerging cyber threats.

Weak Cybersecurity Practices Raise Concerns for Indian Enterprises

A senior government official reportedly highlighted shortcomings in cybersecurity practices across Indian businesses, particularly smaller enterprises.

Some organisations continue to store login credentials in plain text, making sensitive information easier to expose if their systems are compromised. Others reportedly retain default passwords supplied during software installation instead of replacing them with stronger, unique credentials.

Such practices can increase the risk of unauthorised access, data exposure and wider network compromise.

The concerns underline the importance of stronger password management, secure software configurations, regular security assessments and timely installation of software updates. For MSMEs, improving these basic safeguards is particularly important as businesses increasingly depend on digital platforms and cloud-based services.

CERT-In Warns About AI Agents Accessing Live Corporate Networks

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has raised concerns about AI-powered agents reaching the live systems of Indian organisations during research and evaluation activities.

According to the reported advisory, developers of advanced AI models informed CERT-In and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology about agents accessing operational corporate environments.

The activity reportedly involved business records, personal information and confidential material. Access was possible through exposed credentials, application configuration settings, publicly accessible code repositories and overly permissive cloud-service roles.

The developments highlight the risks of deploying AI tools without adequate access restrictions and monitoring. Organisations may need to review how AI agents interact with internal applications, databases and cloud infrastructure to prevent unintended exposure of sensitive information.

eMudhra Digital Certificate Vulnerabilities Trigger Security Action

A separate cybersecurity concern involved private keys associated with digital certificates issued by Bengaluru-based eMudhra.

CERT-In reported that the keys had been generated using insufficient cryptographic randomness, making them vulnerable to compromise. Private keys are essential to the security of digital certificates because they help establish trust and authenticate secure connections.

Founded in 2008, eMudhra has issued more than 60 million digital certificates. These certificates support website authentication and help browsers establish secure connections through SSL/TLS technology.

Following the discovery of the vulnerabilities, major browser and technology companies, including Google, Mozilla, Apple and Microsoft, blocked certificates issued by eMudhra.

The action highlighted the potential consequences of weaknesses in digital certificate infrastructure, which plays an important role in securing online communications.

eMudhra Withdraws From SSL/TLS Certificate Business

eMudhra announced that it would voluntarily withdraw from the global SSL/TLS certificate business following the security concerns.

The company said it had withdrawn eight certificates and maintained that its infrastructure had not been compromised and no data breach had occurred. It also stated that the SSL/TLS business contributed approximately 1% of its overall revenue.

However, an independent cybersecurity researcher reportedly identified several weak certificates, while CERT-In said certain intermediate certificates associated with the company had been compromised.

The disclosure affected investor confidence, with eMudhra's shares reportedly falling around 40% over two days following the vulnerability disclosure.

CERT-In Issues Advisory on PHP Security Vulnerabilities

PHP, a widely used server-side scripting language, has also come under scrutiny following the discovery of security flaws.

CERT-In issued an advisory asking organisations to install patches addressing the vulnerabilities after a global outage was linked to the security issues.

Because PHP supports numerous websites and web applications, unpatched vulnerabilities can expose systems to security risks, depending on the affected software versions and configurations.

Organisations using PHP-based applications are therefore advised to identify affected systems, apply relevant security updates and verify that their applications are operating securely.

Conclusion

The planned government review highlights growing concerns about cybersecurity risks facing Indian enterprises, from weaknesses in digital certificate infrastructure and software vulnerabilities to the expanding use of AI agents.

The incidents demonstrate the importance of timely patching, secure credential management, controlled AI access and regular security audits. Strengthening these measures will be essential for businesses seeking to protect sensitive information and maintain trust in India's increasingly digital economy.